Swallow Song
by LaLizi
Summary: AU Multichapter - It is 1945 and the devoted couple, Anna and John Bates, have died. While trying to come to terms with their passing, their children, Annabelle and William, discover documents revealing shocking information about their parent's past. With some help from their Godmother, Lady Mary Crawley, they will put together the pieces of their family's history.
1. Prologue - Missed Luncheon

**This is my headcanon story of how Anna and John left this world. It is not horrific, so please stay dear reader! After the tragic events of the Christmas Special, I pondered about the mortality of my OTP and I have decided that I reject any other alternative plotlines for the sinking of my ship and thus, put forth a version of how their demise actually happened - far, far, away from Lord Fellowes hands. It is 1945 and WWII has ended.**

**Special Thanks to the lovely CHERRY88 who has read most of this story and who has given me very valid opinions and suggestions. I made many alterations. Besides being very appreciated and necessary, it was fangirling at its best!**

**A similar, more compacted snapshot of this idea was recently posted by another lovely author. I've had this story written for almost two months now, so, I promise I did not copy. I'd rather think that great minds think alike! **

**I do not own Downton Abbey or any of the characters. I lovingly borrow them from their rightful owners, Carnival and Lord Julian Fellowes, so that I can play with them just for a little while.**

* * *

**DOWNTON – Grantham Arms 1945**

Annabelle observed the clock on the mantel behind her reception desk and discovered it was later in the day than she realized. It was almost time for luncheon and she had not even prepared little Mamie's snack. Luckily, her daughter had not felt hungry yet and had not said anything. Instead, the child was focused on dressing and undressing the beautiful doll her grandmum Anna had recently given to her. Mamie was a gentle child and was not prone to tantrums or raucous infantile behavior. She was three, but she had all the temperament of a refined little girl and that made it much easier for Annabelle to care for her and at the same time, manage the administrative tasks of the Grantham Arms, her family's Inn and pub. As such, she was currently processing the departure of the Porter sisters with the little girl sitting at her feet. The elder Ms. Porter would not have known that Mamie was there at all if not for the faint humming that was being emitted as she buttoned her doll's dress for the hundredth time that morning.

That brought a little smile to the kind old ladies.

"Thank you for staying with us," exclaimed Annabelle as the keys were handed back to her.

"Oh, no…..Thank You. Staying here was a delight. We will definitely come back if we are ever in Yorkshire again."

With that, the sisters turned to leave. Annabelle summoned Peter, the young man who served as bellman, clerk, footman and on the rare occasion, barman, when her husband Marcus needed a rest or help. The young man quickly dispatched the luggage to the awaiting transportation and then made himself busy nearby.

It suddenly dawned on Annabelle that her confusion with the time, thinking it was much earlier than it really was, was due, in part, because she hadn't seen her mother yet this morning. Her mum would usually come down by mid morning to inspect that everything was running smoothly, then disappear again back to her room to tend to her ailing father. In the afternoon, she would do it again. It was a routine that Annabelle was used to and the absence of it today had made her lose track of the time. It was unusual, she thought, that her mother had not been down yet. Perhaps she should go call on her parents. Her father had been delicate in the last days and maybe her mum needed help.

"Peter," she called, "I am going to call on my mum momentarily. Please see that Mamie stays here and cover the reception. I will be back soon."

The young man nodded and Annabelle moved around and out of the reception towards the courtyard path that led to the Inn's caretaker residence.

She sprinted the distance to their small two story house and knocked on their door repeatedly. She had the key, but never entered without knocking first. She always allowed her mum the opportunity to respond before pushing in. Yet, she'd had to use it in the recent past when her mum would fall asleep after tending to her father during the night. On these occasions, no amount of knocking would rouse her. It seemed that on this day, that would be the reason to use her key once again.

She moved inside quietly, trying to avoid making a stir that could startle her parents. She had glanced at the sitting room downstairs and saw no one. She listened intently, but could not gather that any activity was coming from the kitchen either.

"Mum?" she called with a tempered voice. When she didn't get a response, she called again. "Mum, Da, I'm here. Don't be startled, I am coming up."

She walked up the creaky, short flight of stairs, reaching the main bedroom quickly. Conscious that her father might be sleeping, she elected to not knock and slowly turned the knob so that she could gently make her way in.

It was dark, much darker than she expected. The curtains had not been drawn yet, so, the little light that was filtering into the room was coming from the small window, outside of their room and at the end of the hall. It was meager, but enough so that she could make out the silhouette of both her parents still in their bed, cuddling together.

Annabelle was surprised. It was not like her mum to spend so many hours in bed. Her father had been ill in the last weeks and she expected to see him resting, but not her mum. After so many years in service at the Abbey and the Inn, and much to her mum's chagrin, she would always wake at dawn and become active quickly. Annabelle thought briefly that her mum maybe had chosen this morning for a lie in. She was tempted to leave at once so as not to not disturb their peaceful slumber. Her mum deserved the rest after her dedicated vigils and she would hate it if they woke because of her. She took a few steps backward, reaching for the door to control any element of noise, when she realized that something did not seem right. With his ailment, her father found it hard to breath and lately, when he slept, there would be a wheezing sound emanating from him and occasionally a gasp. Annabelle heard nothing. There was no sound of breathing at all. This was not right. She couldn't detect her mother's usual loud inhalation either.

"Mum, Da, can you hear me?" She said in a firmer, louder tone.

No response came about. Annabelle started to panic and moved towards the windows to open a curtain, wishing to flood the room with light so that she could get a better picture. As she pulled the drapery to the side and fastened it quickly with the tieback, she could now see that her parents were actually not cuddling. She couldn't see their faces from her current angle, but her mother was actually atop of her father and they were holding hands. She moved forward and when they made no response towards her or the sudden flood of light in the room, Annabelle knew. Her parents, Anna and John Bates were here no more.

* * *

**A/N: **

**Please despair not and keep reading – It's not all tears in this story.**

**I have tried to calculate people's ages. When DA starts, Anna is supposedly 26. She said so in one of her interviews. (She would have been born in 1886) You never know what age John is, but if he fought in the war (1899-1902) and is closer in age to Lord Grantham, he would be in his 40's. I choose for John to be 40 in 1912, so, the age difference is not too big, just 14 years. It's anyone's guess really, and JF is not telling. He would have been born in 1872. Thus, for this story, since it is 1945, Anna would be 59 and John would be 73. Since they married in 1919, they have been married 26 years. Central to this story, you will meet their children - Annabelle who was born in 1922 (conceived in Scotland, of course****) and is now 23, their daughter Gwendolyn, born in 1924 and their son William who would have been born in 1926 and is now 19. They have a granddaughter too!**

**Also, in my story, they did end up with their dream. They purchased a little hotel, in this case, the Grantham Arms. They never wanted to leave Downton. John couldn't do without the Bromance with Lord Grantham, and neither Anna nor Mary could ever stand to be separated. This is fan fiction, right?**

**A note about the title – In my country, we have a song, "Las Golondrinas" (The Swallows) that is sung at funerals or when somebody is going someplace – graduation, moving away, etc. It is about the epic migration these small birds undertake. Thus, it is sung in remembrance of the eternal migration that the dead person is embarking on. If you speak Spanish, you know you've heard it… There are several versions on YouTube if anybody is interested. It felt entirely appropriate for my Anna and John….**

**I promise next chapters will not have that much editorial in it…..**


	2. A Full Life

**The**** night before...**

**Anna**

Anna sat at her dresser, brushing her grey hair. There were still some blond streaks in it, but it had thinned considerably and the color had changed. This didn't matter though; he still loved to run his hands through it whenever he could. She had stopped wearing it in a plait or using a cap to hold it in at night, because he loved it and through the years she had learned that it was not worth the effort to fix it, as he would undo whatever she'd done. She looked at him through the reflection on the mirror. He was not sleeping. He was looking up at the ceiling, but she could see he was laboring to breathe a little. Not so much for her to get up and run to his side, but enough for her to continue to glance at him continually. She finished, setting set down her brush, and her eyes strayed to look through all of the pictures that adorned the dresser's surface. They were all there, the most important people in their lives. Several were of her children at various ages, her granddaughter Mamie, still a toddler. She loved the one of her and John on their 20th wedding anniversary and adored the one of them on the day they were married. She also had a picture of her and Lady Mary when her son became the new earl. Then there were the pictures of those who were no longer with them. There was the only photograph Anna had with her parents when she was about 10. There was John's beautiful mother and one of Elsie and Charles Carson on their wedding day just a few years before he died. Next to that, John with Lord Grantham taking in a pint at the pub. All of these pictures were important to her and they all told their story.

Anna Mae Bates had lived a full life, one that she cherished completely, even when things had been bad. She couldn't complain, really. She liked to think of her life before and after him, as he really did mark the difference in the experiences she had. Before him, she was happy, working, carefree, but life had no meaning. She experienced no emotions other than complacency and boredom. She went on every day because she had to, because it was expected of her and because her mother had told her that an honest day's work would keep her out of trouble. Not that she needed to be kept out of trouble, she wasn't really a troublesome girl, but her mother thought that the younger she was able to start working, the easier it would be to keep her on a correct path. That it did, until he came into her life. Anna always thought that it was good her mother had passed well before John Bates arrived, because if she'd been living at that time, she would not have agreed with her choice of husband and the actions that Anna undertook to secure him by her side. Anna and her mother were very similar and Rose Smith would have learned to love John if she were to ever get over the initial shock of Anna's attachment to a married man who was also an ex-convict and ex-drunkard. She would have wanted something better for her daughter, someone not so similar to the man she had chosen herself. Jeremiah Smith had been a gentle, but troubled soul and years of drinking had taken their toll on his body. The decision to place Anna into service at such a young age was done for economic reasons, but, partly to protect her from watching her father self-destruct. Jeremiah adored Rose and Anna. There was nothing he wouldn't do for them, but he often lost his way. He was not violent, but the emotion of watching all of his children, save Anna, die in their childhood had proven too much for him. That pain, accumulated with that of losing their farm and compounded by farming injury he sustained, made him lose his will to live and he drank himself towards a senseless death. Rose Smith tended to him, lovingly. Those last years of eternal devotion to his welfare, wrought their effects on her too and she followed him within months. Anna's parents were naïve to think that she didn't know what was happening. She did, and it was a pain to see them die, but a consolation to have had them die within months of each other. For all the turmoil she saw in her young life, the one thing she was certain was that there was true love and a steadfast commitment between them. Perhaps, then, when he came into her life, she knew no other way. When she recognized her own symptoms of love and his love for her was also proved true, her devotion and loyalty came through, zealously, much like Rose and Jeremiah's.

After John's arrival at Downton, she found that the meaningless days turned to ones full of emotion. Sometimes, it was overwhelming. At first, not knowing whether he loved her when her whole body was overcome with the dizzying sensation of complete fascination, kept her with nervous excited anxiety. She was inclined to think that did love her back, even when he tried his hardest to resist the feeling. There were times when that fascination and love turned to frustration and loathing. Not at him directly, but at the situation she saw herself submerged in when she discovered his marriage, when he left her and the subsequent struggles to obtain the divorce than never came. She had felt fear and devastation as well when he was incarcerated and sentenced. In the years that followed, she found that she could not remember anything about that horrible period. She had been there, sat through all the testimony and deliberations, but she could not recall anything other than how her heart had stopped briefly and the powerful and absolute heart crushing look between them. They had only experienced it one other time, when their daughter Gwendolyn succumbed to a fever when she was only 3, dying in their arms, but that time, they had each other for support. When he had been sentenced and word of his reprieve had not come through yet, she felt alone and was almost sure she could not survive in this world without him beside her. She had told him once that she could bear anything, except for him to go away and she found that true with every fiber in her being. She was pushed to the edge and despair made her contemplate all the ways she could make that pain go away and rejoin him if he were lost to her forever. She never told him about that. That was the lowest point in her life and the amount of fear and devastation is what erased that episode from her mind and she didn't mind one bit. She didn't need to remember anything about it at all.

The emotions experienced were also happy. There was the first kiss they shared, innocent and sweet and those that were anything but, that were experienced afterwards. The sheer giddiness at and the promise of a future together and their actual wedding day were everything she hoped they would be. He was not an expressive man, but on those days, he kept nothing back and whispered the sweetest things to her. His words, heartfelt and poetic, pierced her heart and for years she would joke and tell him that she knew what it was to actually walk on clouds. Later, when they shared their wedding night, he took her into his expert arms and helped her morph from girl to woman. He joked that she had had her way with him, but, throughout that night, they met each other as equals, with unrestrained passion. It was not lost on them that they had embarked on this journey during an unstable moment and they savored each other that first time, as if it were also their last. It didn't matter that she had no previous experience, the years of longing and stolen touches and caresses with him had more than prepared her for this moment. When they were reunited after his horrid incarceration, those feelings of almost losing each other manifested themselves physically and for years, their desire and lust for each other was insatiable. They came together as often as possible, as a way to reaffirm their commitment and deep love for each other. So much so, that she experienced the ultimate joy of birthing three beautiful children – Annabelle, Gwendolyn and William. Had they both been younger, she was sure there would have been more children. Both of them were older than the typical age for procreating, but they were blessed and happy, nonetheless.

Now, both Anna and John were much older, and their children had reached an age where they could care for themselves. They were still young, but in the middle of their own lives. If Anna could reflect on her life, all of it, she would say that it had all been worth it. She had inherited her mother's wisdom and even she could understand that the hardships they had faced had made their relationship stronger. She knew that they were always destined to be together, but, would their love be as strong if the Boer war, Vera, his multiple incarcerations, her parents and siblings' early deaths and the nightmare of having Gwendolyn snatched from them never happened? For all the suffering they both had endured, it had made them who they were. It had made them stronger and it had made them inseparable.

Those photographs on the dresser would be a testament to all that they had endured.

Anna glanced in the mirror again and this time she realized he was looking straight at her. She turned slowly and their eyes met. John shifted in his bed and lifted his arm, as a gesture to invite her towards him.

"Anna, love, it's almost time. I can feel it."

* * *

**JOHN**

He lay in bed, under the covers as he had for the last few days. Dr. McMillan, the town medic, had diagnosed him a year ago with some fancy disease, but all John knew was that he was old and it was his time. He could feel it in his bones when he walked and he could hear it in his lungs when he tried to breath. Whatever it was, it had come to get him and he felt ready. It was not that he wanted to go, he was in no hurry. He had a beautiful wife and family and a prosperous business – It was quite a reversal of his earlier life and if he was allowed more time with them, he would gladly spend it.

He had already escaped death several times in his life and he didn't think he could be lucky again. He had been wounded in the war and actually knew what it was like to feel a bullet pierce the skin and shatter his bones. His knee had paid for that incident his entire life, but it was not comparable to his escaped death by hanging when he was sentenced for Vera's alleged murder. He didn't care about his war wound and almost wished back then that the enemy's bullet had actually damaged something inherently more important, like his heart or his stomach. Back then, he didn't care to go on living as he had nothing to live for. When he was sentenced to death, though, the stakes were higher and he had everything to lose. He couldn't leave his Anna a widow and much less with the stain of having been married to a murderer. He was not what they alleged, but, nobody would know the difference and she would be branded. Then, he also counted all of the times he had gotten into bar brawls in his post Boer days as missed death escapes. He had to agree that many a time, he had fought with some large rough fellows whose blows could have caused major damage. A misplaced punch was all it took, but thankfully, he always came out triumphant. How? - He did not comprehend. His most recent escape from death, though, was in the protection of his family. He was unconscious for days three years ago when he covered Anna and newborn Mamie during a random bomb dropping from Luftwaffe forces. Their dropped cargo landed within meters of the pub, blowing in a wall. He took the brunt of the force from falling debris when he covered them with his large body. Thankfully, bombs such as those that obliterated London and Coventry never made it back to Downton ever again and he recuperated.

He recovered that time because of Anna and her magic touch. She was his faery princess, even to this day. He looked down from the ceiling and gazed at her where she was sitting, brushing her hair for him. She was plumper than when they had met and married, the effects of having borne him three beautiful children. He liked her that way though. Fuller, rounder – she was more like a real woman should be. She was still the same beautiful soul, full of wit and charm. She was as sassy as ever and nothing went unnoticed in their household and in their little Inn.

She was the reason they prospered and had a little something to leave their children. After everything that had happened to them, he didn't think that they would ever be able to accomplish their dream, but she surprised him and he should have known that as tenacious as she was, she wouldn't let their dream fall by the wayside. She was very frugal in their expenses those first few years of their marriage and while they had everything they needed, she did not allow them to spend money frivolously. He wanted to buy her beautiful things, to pamper her when he could, but she would not allow it. It was all put aside and before he knew it, their comfortable savings and the proceeds of the sale of their London property had enabled them to take over the Grantham Arms when old Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan decided to sell it. Acquiring it was one challenge, then maintaining it another. It really did help that between the both of them they had plenty of service experience because they were unable to take on any help for the first year. They already had both their girls and Anna was pregnant with William, but she was a real trooper. They would finish their days exhausted, much like at Downton, but this time they had the satisfaction of knowing that it was all theirs and that the amount of work they had to do would be for their benefit and nobody else's. They had taken on the Inn when it needed many repairs, was looking dilapidated and aged, but they had turned it around. She had good taste, a benefit of having spent so many years by Lady Mary's side and she had transformed it into a comfortable, respectable, quaint Inn, garnering a solid reputation throughout the County. It helped that she was a very charming host and had maintained her ability to anticipate the needs of whoever was in her care. Yes, while he was a solid fixture in the place and maintained the finances, she was the heart and the reason for its success. They had managed it for almost two decades and now it was in the care of their daughter and son-in- law to manage it for them.

Leaving service had been a difficult decision. He was not afraid of the hard work, but he feared what could happen if they did not manage to make this a success. He feared becoming a failure the most and not being able to provide for his family. At least, as valet, he had a solid position for as long as he could physically manage. With trepidation, he informed Lord Grantham of his plans and was relieved to receive much support from him. So much so, that on their first day open to the public, the Crawley family paid their respects by visiting them and taking libations within the pub. He had worried that his past, marred by the very public humiliation of his incarceration for Vera's death might prejudice the town against him, but, with Lord Grantham's unconventional visit, the town took that very positively and they were well received in the community. They had been overjoyed that they had been able to make their dream come true and more so in Downton where they would continue to see those people that had been important in their lives. While neither he, nor Anna had parents or siblings left, they had those at the great house they had come to regard highly and with the placement of the pub, they continuously received visitors.

All of this success was more than he could have ever imagined. When he considered how much turmoil he had experienced in his first forty years, it would seem impossible that the second half of his life should turn out to be so happy. Anna always reminded him that the turmoil made him the man she fell in love with. Without those experiences, he may have never reached the plateau of peace he was finally firmly planted on to. His only regret, after so much happiness, is that it did not come early enough for him to share it with his mother. She knew of Anna, even when he had said nothing about her. As an old, wise, soul, she perceived immediately the growing fondness between them, hinted even, that he should pursue her as soon as he could. She was very diplomatic and never fully denounced her dislike for Vera, but, it was very apparent that she had no desire to talk to her, ever. When she met Anna, the opposite happened and she could not stop asking about her, even when he still hadn't made up his mind regarding the pursuit of her affections. If she could see them now, so many years later, she would be so proud of the way his life had turned out. It would erase all the pain and suffering he caused her. He was thankful, though, that she did not live long enough to live through the nightmare of his second incarceration. If she hadn't already died, he was sure that this would have caused it.

Anna was still at her dresser and during all this time that he lay in the bed, she had continuously glanced back to look at him. His darling girl always worried about him. She was picking up the pictures that were on the dresser and he could see how she gazed at every one of them. She was preparing to leave this world with him and he wished that she wasn't so determined about this. She was still young and had more life ahead of her. They had one grandchild and others would come soon. Even when he tried to explain that he would be happy thinking about her continuing on without him, she was obstinate in her stance. She was ready to go and would not be left behind. When it was truly his time, she would be there every step of the way. Since they had left service, they had never spent a night apart and she didn't plan for that to start now. He begged her not to do anything foolish, she was, after all, a Christian woman. She only chuckled. "John, don't be daft. It won't be necessary to do anything foolish. I am not as healthy as you think." He didn't know what she meant, he only knew that whatever Anna Bates set her heart to, she obtained, so, if she was truly intent on dying at the same time he was, who was he to stop her? They both had always been quite healthy, but this last year, something changed. Little by little, he felt he had no more life left in him. He had been sick the last few days, hadn't left the bed, and he could feel his energy decrease. He tried to breathe normally, but not enough air was getting into his lungs. He was 73 now and it was natural for his body to protest and seek respite after such a long life. He was ready to give in and he would do so tonight. All of his affairs were in order, the Grantham Arms was in good hands and his lovely Anna was by his side. He had no more cares or concerns. He felt free.

She turned and was looking at him now. He reached out with his arm, inviting her into the bed with him.

"Anna, love, it's almost time. I can feel it."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews, follows and favorites and thank you for reading this story..**

**If you read my notes on Chapter 2 of "Until We Can Manage", same calamity applies here and I will answer reviews this weekend.**


	3. A Final Farewell

**Dear Reader – This chapter is actually Anna and Bates dying. It is sweet, not dramatic or horrific, but, if you would rather not read this, skip it and wait for the next chapter.**

* * *

Anna walked towards her husband and took the hand that he had raised when he had gestured her to join him. She remained standing still, on his side of the bed and placed the back side of her free hand on his forehead, attempting to feel if he had a temperature.

"Your fever is down, love", she spoke as her hand remained in its position on his forehead. He reached up for her hand, removing it gently and kissing it before responding.

"Does it matter? With or without a fever, my time is up." He wheezed as soon as he finished talking.

"Well, your right", she answered with a cynical smile firmly planted on her face. "It's just a habit of mine to check."

"Always concerned - my darling, sweet Anna", he smirked back.

"Yes, until that last breath leaves your body, I will always be concerned." She smiled and pulled her hand back and turned towards the foot of the bed so she could make it around to her side.

As her back turned, she could not see the anguished eyes that had planted themselves on his face.

"Anna", he breathed heavily, trying to be as little dramatic as possible, "that last breath is tonight. You do realize it, right?"

She turned before she could reach her end of the bed and looked at him with a bit of exasperation written on her face.

"Yes, you silly man. I know."

He'd been telling her for weeks that he felt his time was up, and just this morning, he had confirmed his fears. He didn't know why he knew, he just did and she believed him. He said he felt in his heart that this would be his last day.

As she reached her side of the bed, she looked at him lovingly.

"Can I get you anything else? Are you comfortable?"

"All I need is you", was what John Bates answered as he lifted the covers indicating that he wanted her to join him.

A warm feeling of love spread through Anna as she heard her husband's words once again. IT had been their custom in recent years. She would ask him if he needed anything and he would answer with those beautiful words. She had heard them hundreds of times if you calculated every day by the amount of years he had been saying it. She sighed heavily when it dawned on her that she would never hear them again. Because of this, they now held more meaning than ever, especially when he added as an afterthought, "Nothing else matters now."

She stood for a moment, planted firmly at the edge of the bed. She was enjoying the feeling and looking at him as tenderly as possible. His white hair framed his face and a few wisps of errant strands hung over his left eye. He looked like he was struggling a little, but, even like this, she could still see the crinkles on his face adorning those piercing black eyes. All this time later, they still looked at her like she was the only woman in the world and they still conveyed just how much he loved her. There was no melancholy in them, which she might have expected given his assertion over today's events. They were brightly shining, illuminating the otherwise dim room and her soul. His beautiful grin was plastered on his face, and she could wait no longer to join him.

She took a seat on the bed and she swung her legs onto it. As soon as she was completely on it, she turned to him and answered, "You lovely, lovely old man. All I need is you too."

Her profession of love warmed his heart. With his long arm, still holding the covers, he let them fall, making sure she was securely under them. He did not need to ask her to move closer to him, because Anna instinctively knew that he would want that, she did too, and she inched her way until she was securely as close as possible to him. She shifted until she was lying on her side and John's arm now came around to hold her to him. When she felt she was locked in her position, she draped her arm around his frame. With her head lying snuggly on his chest, she could hear his labored breathing. She understood now why he was so sure that he wouldn't live past this day. His breaths were very inconsistent and she could tell his heart rhythm was off. It was not the classic thumping beat she was so accustomed to hearing. He was still here, though, and she would enjoy every minute she still had with him.

"Where did you leave the letter?" he asked.

"It is sitting next to the pictures. They'll find it tomorrow once the commotion is over."

He glanced in that direction and when his eyes fixed on the envelope propped against his wedding picture, he felt a little more at peace.

Laboring to breath, he commented, "It will likely be Annabelle who will find us when you've not gone down to visit the Inn by luncheon."

"Yes, it will be my poor darling girl. I so wish I could spare her the heartache… and in her condition too."

By the tone in her voice, he could tell she was worried. "What do you mean?"

"She's with child again. It's very recent, though."

John was perplexed and if he were honest, a little hurt that he had been left out of learning this important news, especially now. He wasn't dead yet. "Why didn't she tell me? And why didn't you tell me?"

Anna rubbed his arm to reassure him. "No, she didn't tell me. It's something I figured out…. And I am telling you now."

There was cynical doubt in John's voice when he asked, "How can you be so sure?"

Annoyed that he would question her motherly intuition, she exclaimed very confidently, "I know my children, John." She smacked him playfully, yet gently, on the chest when she further added, "….and when have I ever been wrong about them?"

He had to agree with her certainty. She was hardly ever wrong with anything that had to do with their children. She was a natural, born to be a mother. She always knew what they were up to and would steer them away from mischief. She was stern, but very loving. They had their carefree moments, but she made sure they were responsible and attentive. She had been admirable and he was proud of who their children had turned out to be. He would always credit her with that achievement, even when she insisted that he had been an incredible father and excellent role model. He shuddered to think what his children would say to him if they knew the truth about his past. They didn't know anything. He and Anna had decided not to disclose anything about those dark days and those around them who knew of his second incarceration had moved away, forgotten, or simply not shared it with his children. It had been a relief, but that would all change as soon as he was gone. Anna always reassured him, telling him that fathering children late in his life gave him the vision to always know what to do or say when they needed him. He had more wisdom and life experience to share with them than the average young father. This made their children much more capable, accountable adults. Maybe she was right. He tried to teach them right from wrong, instill in them a passion for whatever work they chose to do, inculcate the importance of an exemplary work ethic, and encourage them to enjoy the simple things that life had to offer. More than anything, he wanted to teach them that no matter what mistakes they made in life, there was always a way to learn from them, redeem themselves and change their life around.

Anna brought him back from his distracted thinking by continuing with her thoughts regarding Annabelle's alleged pregnancy.

"Marcus has been back almost a year; it's natural for it to happen. I tell you, she's expecting."

He hugged her tighter, "If you say so, love."

"I do say so. Back in the day, I didn't need Dr. Clarkson to tell me I was pregnant with any of our children. I already knew, even before the most obvious symptoms came upon me."

"Well, if that's the case", he mused, "I wish it didn't have to be her to find us, but she is a strong girl." He reached forward to kiss the top of Anna's head. "She takes after her mother."

Anna just laughed. She loved it when they talked about their children, snug in bed together. They had done it countless times.

"My life made me strong, and yes, even though she is physically a copy of you, she does take after me. She will be fine, she has Marcus and he is a good fellow who loves her. He has quite an extended family, so, she will not be alone. His mother will take her under her wing. She's a good woman too. Mamie will have a good grandmother to see to her as well."

John sighed. "What about William?"

"Well, Annabelle adores her brother, so, he'll always have her. …. And, he doesn't need anything else right now but his books. Some day, when he is older, he'll find a nice girl. At least, I hope he does. Sometimes he can get carried away with his ideas and forget that there is a life beyond his studies."

John just chuckled. William's penchant for books was inherited from him. Through the years, he had amassed enough to set up a small library for the Grantham Arm's guests. It would never compare to the one in the Abbey, but, for a country Inn, it was rather impressive. The guests were always commending them for providing this amenity, but it was more his guilty pleasure than anything else and it served to educate his children too. By the time William was 12, he had read all of those books, more than once and self taught himself French and German. He was very bright and earned a scholarship to attend the Ripon Grammar school, a much better institution than the simple schoolhouse at Downton. His Lordship had invited him to borrow any books from the Abbey's library that he wished and William had taken advantage of that offer, visiting on several occasions. Lord Grantham was so impressed with William's intelligence, elocution and vocabulary at such a young age, that he made a deal with him. If he were to study hard and get accepted into university, he would pay for it. At first John was against it, citing that he and Anna would find a way to further their son's education through their hard work, but, Lord Grantham chastised John by indicating that William was not his charity project, he did truly admire the young man. He had not had any sons himself and his grandsons had enough opportunities handed to them. He would be honored, if as a friend of John's and an admirer of William's he could enter into this deal, challenging the young man to do his best. When it was explained to him this way, John could not disagree and the burden was on his son to achieve his side of the deal. Lord Grantham did not live to see William reach his goal, as he died a couple of years later. Unbeknownst to them, he had left explicit instructions with Lady Grantham and now as the Dowager Countess, she had carried out her husband's wishes, paying for William's studies at Cambridge. He and Anna had never been prouder. They were working class and not ashamed of it, but their son now had the opportunity to make something of himself. The war had been a distraction, but because of his age, he had not been drafted until almost the end. His qualifications and language skills had him assigned to an administrative post and he was able to get back to his studies as soon as it was over. As parents, they could not have been more relieved.

It took John a few minutes to respond to Anna, but he did. "He'll do fine. I know he will." With everything he had accomplished, he certainly had no doubts.

Thinking about his children made him happy, especially when he was preparing to leave this world. He had no regrets. His only sadness came from having lost Gwinnie, or Gwendolyn, at such a tender age. It had been devastating, but he was sure that he had not seen the last of her. IN fact, it was comforting for him to think that sooner than later, he might have her in his arms again. If the idea of heaven was true, then she would be there and he most wanted to see her again. That would come later though, he felt he was getting too distracted and while he was still on earth, all his attentions should be placed on his dearest Anna.

She was his angel, a miracle worker if they existed. Nobody else could have produced the wonder of love that he had experienced since his arrival to Downton. No, Nobody but her. He couldn't bear to think that he was leaving her behind, but she was so confident that she would be going with him, that he believed her. His Anna was very flexible and adaptive, but when she was certain of something, she always had her way….. and she was certain that she would be along, right after him. He would never dare doubt her.

That moment was soon to come. He could feel it harder and harder to draw a breath. Even with the certainty of her joining him, just in case it did not happen, he needed to make sure she knew just w hat a difference she had made in his life.

"Anna" he called with a concerned tone.

It was such a tone that it warranted her extra attention. "Yes", she answered and held up her head to face him. As she did this, the waves in her hair bounced as they came to settle all around her. His free hand lying by his side could not resist such temptation and he reached up to run his fingers through it one last time. She was so beautiful, even at this age. Her long slender neck had not lost its form. Her blue eyes were as bright as the ever were and they reminded him of the color of a summer sky. He could always get lost in them. She may have gained a few wrinkles and grey hair, but, if anything, they were attained because she had chosen to live her life with him. It made her all the more desirable.

"I love you", he said simply.

"I know you do and I love you too" she responded as she cupped his cheek.

"I need to tell you something", John said with a struggle.

"What is it love?" Anna asked worriedly.

"Thank You."

"For what?

"For showing me that my life was worth something and letting me spend the second half of it with you. For never giving up on me and the possibility of us, even when things seemed as bleak as the night. For giving me three beautiful children and allowing me to understand what it is to truly have purpose in life. For insisting that we could have a life outside of service and urging me to take on the world when I was scared that I would not be able to prosper because of my infirmity. For never leaving my side, even when I was moody, cryptic or belligerent.

He paused, drawing as deep a breath as possible, intent on continuing with his long list of things to thank her for.

"Stop, I need to thank you too", Anna added before he had the opportunity to continue.

"Thank me for what? It was always all you." He didn't think that she had anything to thank him for.

She didn't let him finish. "Don't be silly."

"I will thank you now", she started and then continued. "I thank you for believing in me and in this love, enough to do everything that you did to try to make it happen and enough for you to overcome all of the challenges that cursed your earlier life. For choosing me, a simple girl, to stand next to you. For being so brave and loyal that you would earn the respect of an Earl and an entire community. For being strong and steadfast, lifting us out of a life of service, allowing us to provide our children with better opportunities, for being an excellent role model and example for our children, for being the best friend and lover I always wanted , For…

With all the energy he could muster, John lifted his head and stopped her from continuing by crushing his lips against hers. Anna responded to him immediately. IT was a full, deep kiss, filling them with warmth and renewing the commitment of love and passion that existed between them. They savored and tasted each other, moving their lips in unison. It was quicker than the kisses they shared during their more youthful years, as neither could withstand the same level of fervor today, yet, when it was over, they remained with their lips locked, still united for several minutes, each trying to make that feeling linger within them. They wished not to separate from each other, trying to make the moment last as long as they could. They breathed as necessary, but they absorbed as much of each other as they could. Neither spoke, nor made any other gestures. The love that was pooling through their veins was evident enough as each one was sure to have felt the other's heart beating.

Soon enough, John needed to rest and he pulled back until he was flat on the bed again.

He could see a tear streaming from Anna, as he tried hard to deter his own from coming forward. Anna could sense that they both needed to be closer together, so, she shifted and moved until she was lying on top of him. She would have been concerned that in this position it was harder for him to breath, but she was still as petite as she ever was and the few pounds she had gained were still nothing compared to his own large frame. IT seemed not to affect him. When she was in this position, they clasped each other's hands and Anna propped up her head so that they could look at each other's faces.

"My darling", he managed to say as the tears and emotions betrayed him and as he gripped Anna's hands fiercely. His breathing was audibly getting harder, yet he managed to proclaim, "My whole life would have been meaningless without you. Before we met, I had been at my lowest and all I wanted was to survive day by day. Meeting you was beyond my wildest dreams. I regret nothing of what we have been through together. I wish some things for us could have been easier, spared us, and you in particular, some pain, but I would not change anything about my life with you. I leave contented and fulfilled. You made me terribly happy."

He brought their hands to his lips and kissed her fingers reverently as he tried to get more air into his lungs.

"My love", she responded back. "Before you came to me, I also lead a meaningless existence. I knew from the moment I saw you that my life had changed. We may have experienced much pain and hardships at the beginning, but it only made me love you with more fervor. Rest assured that if I was asked to decide whether I wanted to live my life over again and make new choices or have the same experiences, I would always choose you, and choose the exact same life, as you have made it worth living. A life without you in it is no life at all. Without you, I am nothing".

She now brought their clasped hands up to her face and she kissed his knuckles just as he had done to her minutes earlier.

They continued to look at each other and maintained each other's hands entwined as Anna spoke for the last time.

"Close your eyes, love. Whenever you are ready, just go. Don't worry about anything else. There is nothing left to say. We need no more words between us." She kissed his hands again. Be not afraid, as I am here with you and you are not alone. I will be right behind you."

John reached up again, touching his lips briefly to hers for the last time. He lay back down, closing his eyes as instructed. Anna also laid her head on his chest, holding his hands near her lips. She closed her eyes as well, concentrating on the sound of his breathing. His chest was still rising, but his breaths were more ragged and more inconsistent than before. There was more wheezing indicating he was getting less oxygen. Anna lay stoically, listening to the sounds of her husband dying. Tears silently fell, but she made no noise, wanting him to go as peacefully as possible. She intermittently placed little kisses on his fingers, so, that whatever part of him was still here could feel that she was still here with him too.

Then, after what seemed an eternity, but may have only been a few minutes, nothing happened. His chest no longer rose, there was no more wheezing and she could no longer feel his heart beating. There was immense quiet and peace all around her and she felt he was gone. His spirit was no longer here. She felt both sadness and joy grip her heart. John was finally at peace, she no longer needed to worry about him. Now, it would be her turn. While she was technically alone, John having departed ahead of her, she knew he was waiting for her and he was still here in body. She was still lying atop of him and their fingers were still entwined. He had not turned cold and she was still comforted by his warmth.

She felt very tired, extremely tired. She felt heaviness all around her. The air turned stale and she couldn't breathe, yet she was calm. She was not afraid when she started to feel the tingling or when everything around her started to become dark. She was not afraid when she felt pressure over every inch of her body. It was the opposite, in fact. She felt happy, joyous even, and she wondered if John had felt the same way too. If this was what dying felt like, she was very pleased indeed.

* * *

**A/N: I was very sad writing this, but again, I would rather they died this way, so many years later, than any Julian Fellowes inspired plotline…**


	4. Annabelle and William

_**I present to you the Bates children, Annabelle and William. Hope you like them as the rest of the story is centered on them…**_

* * *

_Dear Annabelle and William,_

_If you are reading this letter it is because your father and I are no longer here. We've gone and if I've had my way, we've gone hand in hand. Both of you, I love very much, but I cannot be parted from your father, so, I choose to go with him. I can only do that without guilt because I am certain that both of you are in a good place in your lives and that you have each other for support. _

_In the trunk at the foot of our bed, you will find the story of your father's and my life together. The key is in the locket I wear around my neck. There will be things that you might not have known about him. You may be surprised, shocked even, to find out about his past, but know this - I married an honorable, just and good man and he was an excellent husband and father to you. Surely you can have no doubt about that. Do not judge him, but embrace his story and struggles as he overcame his obstacles. I bid you do the same if your life ever puts any challenges upon you. If there is anything you don't understand, you can ask your godmother. She knows our story and can help you put all the pieces together. Forgive me if we never spoke of this to you before. There are certain chapters of our lives that your father and I wished never to relive and we put them deep and away in our memories. We made new ones – happy ones - and those were the ones we wished to share with you. _

_You know your father and I did not have much of anything valuable, but we wish to make the following allotments. _

_Annabelle – It made us quite happy that you and Marcus decided to continue running the Grantham Arms when it had become too much of a burden for your father and I. We bequeath you the property and the contents, but you must allow your brother to live within the property for as long as he desires, even when he decides to take a wife. You must provide him with a quarter of your earnings to supplement his income until he finishes his schooling. For you Annabelle, I want you to have the pearl necklace you love so much. I met your grandmother twice before she died and even then, she knew I would marry your father, even when that did not happen for many more years after her death. It belonged to her, given to her by your grandfather when your father was born. She gave it to me. Wear it with pride and love._

_William – You make your father and I so proud that you were accepted for studies at Cambridge and have learned so much. I never thought I would meet a smarter man than your father, but you have come along and proved me wrong. What little money we have, will be yours so that you can continue to go to school. You will be excellent at whatever you decide to do. Your father would also like for you to have his entire book collection. As you know, there are some first editions of some works that have become important. If you are ever in the need of money, sell them. You can also have my wedding ring in case you are ever in the need of one. I do hope that you find someone like your father and I found each other, and as your sister found Marcus. Don't rush it though, these things take time and if you are patient, love will find you. _

_I don't have much jewelry, but anything I have, I would love for it to be kept by Annabelle in storage, to be given to both your children when they are old enough to appreciate such things. For Mamie, I would personally like for her to have my claddagh charm bracelet. Tell her that her grandmum loved her very much. _

_Anything else of value, I trust you can come to a mutual agreement and decide amongst yourselves._

_Can you make sure we are buried together, next to your sister? And please, it would make me very happy if you could continue to leave flowers on Gwendolyn's tomb, every year on her birthday. We will be with her, but, I am sure she would be most happy if you went to visit her, as I will no longer be able to do so._

_And now my children, I must go to your father and begin this new journey. Cry not, for we will always be together. When you think of us, remember that we were always so very much in love and happy. Remember us laughing, not crying._

_Much Love from both of us._

_Mum_

Annabelle had read the letter for what was probably the tenth time. This time she did so out loud to share with William, who had only just arrived back to Downton. Since the war ended, he had gone back to school. Regretfully, he was back, and now, they had gathered together to uncover their parents' past.

"What do you suppose the secrets are?" asked William as Annabelle took the key and inserted it into the lock.

"They had the most boring lives. They ran the Grantham Arms for almost 20 years. They worked from dawn till dusk. When could they possibly find time for any mischief?"

"Well, they must have had time for mischief if they had three children," chuckled William.

Annabelle turned to look at her brother with a disapproving grin. "Please don't say such things. I don't want to think of mum and dad and their mischief!... and please stop laughing. They've only been dead two days. I don't know how you can laugh."

William laughed again. "You are right. I don't want to think about their mischief either, but, I will laugh, because it doesn't matter if they are dead. Your read what mom said. She said not to cry."

Annabelle only sighed. She managed to turn the key and open the latch. She lifted the top of the beautiful wooden chest and it creaked loudly as it was raised. Annabelle couldn't remember ever seeing the chest's interior before, her mother zealously guarding it and its contents. She was very intrigued indeed.

It was very full, brimming to the top, and one by one, she took out some articles of clothing that were piled neatly. Some she didn't recall seeing before, but others she remembered from photographs. There was a white lace blouse which looked like what her mum was wearing on her wedding day, plus the tiny white dress that was used for their christening. Mamie had been christened in it too. She knew it was priceless, as it had been in the family for many years and even her father was christened in it. There were a couple of hats that were too old for this time, but very pretty indeed. Her mum must have worn them. She also came across her mother's uniform from when she worked at the big house. She didn't understand why her mother would keep such a thing. It was black and very depressing. There were another two dresses that looked fancy, probably used by her mum during special occasions in her youth. There were several sets of baby clothing and booties, probably kept back from their early days. After clearing all of the clothing, she came upon a smaller ornate box and when she opened it, she found her mother's jewelry and her father's gold watch. She needed to go through the contents, but, today, they were most interested in finding out what her mother meant when she mentioned their father's past. Near the bottom, she found two bundles of letters. One of the bundles was to her from him and another one very much the same, but from him to her. Each bundle was tied with satin ribbons and preserved beautifully. The date on her mother's pile was from 1920. She wanted to read them all, but she wanted to go through everything in the chest first. She handed them to William and he put them aside. The last thing she found was a file folder full of documents.

She looked at her brother and this time he sighed. "So, this must be it," he followed.

"It must be," she said and handed him half the pile. "You go through those and I will go through these and let's see what we find."

He took his half and nodded silently.

"Here's Gwendolyn's death certificate," he exclaimed a few minutes later. With lamentation laced in his tone of voice, he added, "I don't remember her. Do you?"

"Of course you don't remember her. She was three and you were barely one. I was almost five, so, yes, I do remember her. We used to play a lot."

"It said she died of a fever brought on by pneumonia. Poor darling."

"Now that I have Mamie who is also three, I can't imagine what mum must have felt. I would die if anything happened to her. _I would_. It must have been devastating for her." She shuddered not to think any more about that, as she rubbed her belly. Her parents didn't know it at the time of their death, but she and her husband were now expecting their second child and Mamie would soon have a sibling. It was still not something that anybody would know by just seeing her, unless she told them.

Noticing her action, William asked, "How are you feeling? If it's too much for you now, we can do it later."

"I'm fine and now is as perfect a time as any; I would rather get it over with."

She looked at her file and found their marriage register, from April 1919, a full four years before she was born. She could never remember what year they were married, but she always remembered that it took quite a while for her, as their firstborn, to make her appearance. Almost four years it took. Not like her and her husband. She married him quickly, as he was being sent off to the war and their honeymoon was all it took. She had Mamie alone, with the help of her parents as she prayed and hoped that he made it back to her. Miraculously, both he and her brother had made it through and they were both back safely. And now, as she looked at their marriage registration, she remembered that her mother would always tell her that she met her father the day the Titanic sunk. She couldn't remember the day or year.

"William, when did the Titanic sink?"

"In April of 1912. Why on earth are you asking? Is that the secret? Were either of them survivors?" he asked and made a mysterious face just to mock her.

"No silly, I am looking at their marriage register. They were married in April of 1919 and mum would always say that she met father the day the ship sank. I was just trying to calculate how long it took Dad to ask her." She held it up for him to see.

"Well, that would be seven years, almost exactly."

"Wow. Mum was patient. She told me she loved him from the first minute she saw him, even though it took her and him a while to actually confess their feelings for each other. She must have been very much in love to wait that long for him to make his move."

"Apparently, so. Why on earth would he take that long? I know he didn't ever say much, but, I can't believe he was shy or that he didn't love her. They were always making such googly eyes at each other." Annabelle laughed and he continued. "Why didn't I know this?"

"You, my dear brother, are a man and wouldn't think to ask. Mum shared it with me the day before my wedding. She compared me to her and said that I hadn't had to wait at all for the love of my life to make his move. As you know, I barely knew Marcus a few months before we decided and we did it quickly before he shipped out, but I knew he was the right man and I also loved him the moment I met him. Mom just told me that she would have waited a lifetime for him if she needed too, because once she knew he was the right man for her, she would never let him go. I felt the same way."

"That's sweet." He reached out and squeezed his sister's hand.

They continued perusing through their piles.

"Look, here is a medal of Dad's from his time in the Boer War. The inscription says for honor, valor and bravery on the battlefield. It is dated 1901." She put it up for her brother to see.

"Didn't he save the late Earl's life during that war?" he asked as he examined it for himself.

"I believe he did. I asked mother once and she confirmed it and said that it was what made the Earl be kind to him even when others were not. That is how he was injured."

"Well, I am glad the Earl remembered and that they managed to maintain their friendship even when they left the big house to manage the Grantham Arms." William chuckled as he remembered the Earl. "I still remember that he would let me sit on top of him when he would visit Dad at the pub. He let me have my first taste of beer when Dad wasn't looking."

They both laughed now, together. "Yes, he was a good man." She put the medal to the side to retrieve the next documents from the pile.

"Here are his army papers too. Wait….. Why does it say DISHONOURABLE DISCHARGE across the top?" Annabelle turned the document for her brother to read.

"Where?"

"Here," she pointed.

"Why would dad be dishonourably discharged? There is no other explanation provided. The document lists the years he served and where his appointments were. He was part of the British Army from 1900 to 1909." She continued to explain the document. "He spent time South African war, there was a posting to India, a posting to Egypt and his last posting was in the barracks in London."

He scratched his head, confused. "Dad was nothing but honest. DISHONOURABLE DISCHARGE? - Well, maybe there is more information in these piles. There are still several more documents to go." He returned the document to her and picked up the next one on his side.

That document couldn't be more confusing. "Annabelle, who is Vera Bates?"

"I don't know. Is she related to Father?" she asked.

"I don't know. There is a death certificate for her from November of 1918."

He gasped loudly startling his sister.

"What is it?" she demanded to know.

"It seems they were not relations by birth, but by marriage."

"What do you mean?" Annabelle's piercing eyes scrutinized him.

"It says here, on this death registration, Spouse – John Bates."

Annabelle's jaw dropped. "So, he had another wife? He was married before mum?"

"I would guess so, unless you know any other John Bates in the family?"

She nodded to confirm she didn't. "So, wait…. This Vera died in 1918?"

"Yes," William confirmed.

"So, they met in 1912, Vera Bates dies in 1918. We don't know when he married this woman, but months after she dies, mum marries him." She rolled her eyes in confusion.

"William, is it possible…" she shuddered and stopped.

"Is what possible?" he badgered her to continue.

"Mum got married to him very fast after his wife's death. She said she loved him from the minute she saw him. Is it possible she was his mistress? Might they have been lovers?"

"Annabelle, Stop being such a woman and don't start creating stories in your head. There are several more documents here. Let's not come to any premature conclusions, shall we?"

"Oh, alright", she answered, clearly annoyed at his choice of words. "Let's see if there is a marriage register for Dad and this Vera."

"Found It," he exclaimed excitedly not a minute later.

"What does it say?" she questioned, as she dropped her pile.

"This is a marriage register from 1899 between John Bates and Vera Kelly. Dad was 27, she was 25. In occupation, it states he was a footman and she was a housemaid." He laughed momentarily. "Mom was also a Housemaid. What was it with Dad and housemaids?"

"What do you expect if he was in service? What type of women was he going to meet?... but never mind that. What else does it say about her?"

"She was Irish, born in Dublin and they were married in London. That's all."

Annabelle suddenly gasped.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Do you suppose they had any children? I mean… is it possible we have a sibling out there?"

William turned positively ashen. "I guess it's possible, but, do you honestly think if we had a sibling that was alive, we wouldn't have known by now? Look at their devotion to Gwendolyn and she's dead. They wouldn't keep a live sibling quiet and even if there had been one and it was dead, we would have known about it. I think not."

Annabelle was not convinced. They hadn't known their father had been previously married. It was possible, then, for their parents to hide a sibling as well, but in the end, she conceded to William.

"Your right," she mused. "…. And if there is one, I rather think we'll find out at some point today. There are not that many documents left."

"Here are the deeds to the hotel and pub. Nothing suspicious here." She put those aside. "There are also documents of the sale of a house Mum and Dad owned in London. The date precedes the purchase of this property, so, they must have sold that to buy this. I believe that is where Dad's mum lived before she died."

She was interrupted by her brother.

"Annabelle, I think I know why Dad was dishonourably discharged." He raised his eyes slowly, until they were level with hers. "I'm rather shocked and I can't believe this. I would have never imagined such a thing."

"Oh Lord, William. Don't say things like that. What did he do? Why was he discharged?"

"I am holding prison release documentation for John Bates from 1911. It says he served a two year sentence."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "P..P… Prison? How? Why?"

"Let me look, there has to be more information. Here, wait, there is another document. It is an official notification of sentencing and incarceration. It says he was sentenced to two years in prison for theft and that he was remanded to East London Penitentiary. Nothing else. "

He stared at the sheet for a few seconds, processing what he had just shared with his sister and trying to understand it all. He spoke again. "Wow. Mum was right when she told us not to judge him. What I would give to find out what he stole and why…"

"William, is it possible he was innocent? I just can't picture Father stealing. Can you?"

"Well no…"

"Just think about it -people who have left money, purses, and wallets at the pub - he never once touched the contents, or allowed any of us to touch the contents and always made sure it reached the rightful owners. How can Dad be put in jail for stealing? It's just something that I cannot comprehend."

"You're right, but, maybe that made him change. Haven't you read Les Miserables from Victor Hugo? Jean Valjean changes his life… Maybe Dad did it too and that is why mum loved him."

"Victor Hugo? What are you talking about? Is that one of your books? I have no idea who this John John bloke is, so, don't confuse me with your fancy learning. I've not read anything French - , but, If your intention was to explain that people can change, then yes, I see your point. Maybe Dad did too."

He chuckled at her barrage against one of his favorite books. "There is not much more to read, hopefully we will get more answers than further questions."

There were some other documents about their family members, including the death certificates of all of their grandparents and there was nothing suspicious there, but Annabelle concentrated on those while William took the last stack. She read that the Smiths died somewhat young. Her grandmother was 40 and her grandfather 45. Her mother had been 59. Maybe young deaths were in their genes. The Bates were different. Her grandfather had been younger, 60, but his grandmother died at the age of 73, just like her father.

The last seemingly important stack was a set of documents that were held together in between two files and tied with string. They took it apart, not really expecting what they found. There were cutouts from several newspapers, and yet another official notification of sentencing and incarceration. William read it first and worried if he should tell Annabelle. She was, after all, pregnant, and the reason for his second time in jail was much more outrageous and scandalous. This might not be good for her to hear.

She noticed his shocked expression. "William, what is it?"

"Maybe we should take a break. Continue tomorrow?"

"We only have your stack left, why wouldn't we finish now? The funerals are tomorrow and we will see our godmother. I would rather amass all my doubts today so that she can answer any questions we have. You read what mum said. We should ask her, and I don't know about you, but there is plenty I want to ask."

"Annabelle, this last document is rather shocking and I am worried about you and your baby."

"More shocking than dad's incarceration? Not possible, I can assure you…. and mum was always saying that as tiny as she was, she was quite built to withstand shocks. After today, I understand what she meant, but, I am very much like her, so, I doubt that whatever other information you are hiding will affect me."

"Are you sure, darling? Maybe we should get Marcus?"

"He is at the pub right now and he cannot be spared to come down here. Now will you tell me what you have found?" She was getting annoyed at his attempts to avoid this last bit of information.

"Alright, if you insist." He looked down to the paper again. "Dad was in jail again, in 1919." As Annabelle's eyes widened in amazement, he searched for his parents wedding registration. He compared both documents.

"Whatever for? Did he steal again? And weren't Mum and Dad married in 1919?"

"No darling, he didn't steal again." He found was he was looking for on the wedding registration. "He was arrested three days after he married mum for the murder of Vera Bates and sentenced to death in January of 1920."

William was right, it was too much information for Annabelle to digest and he saw her rosy face turn a pale green.

"Murder, you say?"

Before he could answer, she got up and ran to the bathroom in the hall. As he reached the bathroom door after having followed her, he could hear her heaving into the toilet.

"Can I help you? Are you going to be ok?" He waited at least a minute for her to answer. He could hear water running in the faucet. "Annabelle. I am worried, please let me help you."

The door clicked open and she emerged looking a little better, but pale.

"I'll be fine. Let's continue."

"Are you sure we should continue, I mean look at what just happened to you."

"I am only pregnant, William, and it is natural to throw up every once in a while. Yes, that was rather strong news to listen to, but, now that I've heard it, the worst is over. Finish going over the information."

He wasn't too sure they ought to, but his older sister was very strong willed and he knew that she never backed down when she had an idea. She was right, she had inherited that trait from their mum and he reluctantly led her back to the floor of the bedroom where they had been sitting and picked up the information he had.

"This may take a while for us to put together, but, if he died with mum two days ago, that means he wasn't put to death as the sentence on the document states. There is a lot of documentation here, so, let's figure this out."

Both the Bates children sighed and took a document each. They were determined more than ever to make sense of everything they had read.

* * *

**A/N: My inspiration for this chapter and the one after the next was "The Bridges of Madison County" with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. If you've seen that movie, perhaps you will recollect the scene where Meryl Streep's children learn of her past and fill in the gaps by talking to her best friend? I loved that movie. Sigh …..**

**I also love Les Miserables, have loved it for over 20 years, and had to find a way to make room for it in this conversation. Mission accomplished and I promise no more Les Mis comments.**

**Thank you for the lovely reviews!**


	5. At the Funeral

Annabelle and William spent countless more hours together in their parent's bedroom. When they had finished deciphering all of the documents and comprehended that their father had been absolved, they were relieved, but, they were more confused than ever. They had also taken it upon themselves to read many of the letters after they realized that they were written, almost in their entirety, while he was in York prison and she was still working at the great house.

It was very inspiring to read them, but it did little to answer the one question that plagued them the most - how their mother had managed to terminate her life. Their father had been sick, they had seen his demise coming, but they were greatly shocked when they were discovered dead, together. There were no empty vials or pill containers and there was nothing to indicate that she had done anything to herself to achieve it. They were in their bed, their hands clutched and very peaceful looking. Still, they believed that a healthy woman couldn't just die and there had to be something found in her post mortem study. Dr. McMillan was not too concerned and he had promised to provide them with a medical explanation if one could be had.

During all this time of uncertainty, Annabelle was comforted that Mamie was being cared for by her sister in law in Ripon. She was a lovely person, almost the same age as her and she had offered to care for the little girl while Annabelle sorted out her parent's funerals. She would be brought directly to the service tomorrow. Her husband also understood her need to stay with William. They would meet in the morning before heading to the church. She could have gone home; she was only steps away from the actual Inn. She and Marcus did live in one of the rooms there, but the jarring effect of all of the information they had learned made it necessary for her to spend time with her brother this evening. Nobody but him would ever understand what it felt like to find out her parents' secrets and to find out when she could no longer get any direct answers from them. Judging by how he clung to her, he was feeling the exact same way.

Now, they lay on their parent's bed, going through a stack of pictures, remembering happier times in their family.

"Do you remember this trip we made to Scarborough?" Annabelle held a picture of their family taken on the shore. She loved going there and on this particular trip, she was 14. William was a mere boy of ten.

"How could I forget?" he chuckled. "That was the first time I saw father upset because you had suitors."

Annabelle grinned. She was tall for her age, a trait inherited from her father and she was often confused as being older than she really was. They had met another family on the trip and their lanky and audacious eighteen year old son had brought her flowers the next day. It was an innocent gesture, but it became a symbol of something else.

"Yes, father was quite unhappy and mad. Mum was the only one who could bring him to reason. I think he thought that I would run off with the boy. I didn't even like him. I realized a few years later, that his concern was not that I would want to walk out with the boy, rather, it was the day he discovered that I was no longer his little girl and that I was growing up and that one day I would leave him. He took it very hard."

William agreed. "He was always stoic and I think it is the only time I saw him crumble. He was so protective of you afterwards, that I was truly surprised to discover Marcus was your beau and that you were getting married….."

Annabelle laughed. "I don't know what it was, but yes, when Marcus came to ask for my hand, Father was very kind to him. We had to marry quickly because he was being sent off to the war and father did not object, not like he objected to the other boys that came round to visit me. He took an immediate liking to him. I guess he knew we were perfect for each other."

Annabelle rubbed her belly subconsciously, overjoyed that her marriage was indeed happy and that her parents, especially her father, had been so supportive. She put the picture back in the stack. She rummaged through a few more then plucked another, bringing it up for her brother to see. This picture had been taken a year after their trip to the shore.

"Look at this one, William. One of our family's proudest moments – You going off to the Ripon boarding school; too smart to keep in Downton village."

"I hope you don't mind that I got to go and you stayed here." He looked sheepish as he admitted his worry.

She reached out and squeezed his hand. "Of course not, silly. I have the life I want. I love this Inn and I love running it. You, already at that age, were destined for greater things. I was very proud of you that day too. We all were."

He was a young boy of eleven. His father had instilled in him a love of books from an early age. Already at nine, he was pouring through the tomes in their small Inn's collection. He was a voracious reader, often asking his father his opinion on certain books he had read. It was impossible for the rural teacher to manage such a mind, one that stood out among the other local pupils. If he didn't attend a different school, his talents would go to waste and thus, his teacher, Ms. Woodbridge, had approached several schools in Yorkshire to see if any were able to offer William Bates a partial or full scholarship. The Ripon School responded positively and seemed to be a good fit, as it was close enough to Downton that the family could maintain contact.

William laughed at the picture. It was snapped on the day he was delivered to the school and both his parents and Annabelle had gone to accompany him and settle him in.

"I cannot tell what type of face Mum is making in this picture."

Annabelle examined it more closely.

"She is in anguish. That is the face she is making. She was letting go of her baby. Even though she knew it was the best for you, even though she was proud, she was losing you, at a very young age. Given that she had lost Gwinnie prematurely, it was not easy for her to put on such a brave face. She did, while we were there, because she did not want you to change your mind or feel guilty. She knew that you would do great things and that she needed to hand you over, but she suffered greatly. You were her little boy, her baby, and she doted on you."

He looked contrite. "I didn't know. I was so excited I couldn't tell."

"Of course you couldn't know. We did not want you to know. We hid it from you so that you could focus on your learning. When we left you, she could not stop crying. Father had to halt the car on some Ripon street and hold her. I think we sat on that lane for at least half an hour until she calmed down. He whispered reassurances that you would be fine, that he would bring her as often as she wanted as he held her to him. When we got home, they excused themselves to their room and they did not emerge until the next day. That was the first day that I took over the reception by myself. Father said I was ready and that Mum needed him."

William pondered what his sister had said for a moment. "They were great parents, weren't they?"

"Yes, William, we were very lucky."

As the night came upon them, they fell asleep together, in their childhood home, as they did when they were children.

* * *

The service was lovely and the church was full, standing room only. The Vicar spoke beautifully and they were both comforted to see so many people come up to them, talking to them wonderfully about their parents. "They were such nice people," "How incredible that they died together," "I never knew a couple more devoted to each other than the Bates'," is what they heard over and over again from the attendees. It was reassuring to know that their parents were loved in their community.

The Crawley family came as well. The Dowager Countess came escorted by Lady Edith and her children. Their Godmother, Lady Mary, came with her two youngest, as her son, George, the Earl, could not come due to official business in London. He had sent them a telegram, though, which Annabelle thought a nice gesture. At her age, Lady Mary was still a beauty and very graceful. She demanded attention everywhere she went and received it. Both their mother and this fine lady were very fond of each other and regardless of class differences, when their mother parted from service to attend to motherhood, their friendship lasted. Lady Mary offered to be Godmother to them and they were never too long without seeing each other. Annabelle recalled fondly playing with George, when they were children, as their mothers walked through the village and grounds of the great house. They occasionally played with Lady Edith's children too, and much later, William played with Lady Mary's younger children. These two younger children of their Godmother were born after she decided to marry again. Their mother confirmed that the affair was less grand than the first and that the Bates' were invited as guests, not servants. Annabelle must have been about six and could still remember how beautiful her mother looked on that day. Her father had made sure she had a new dress for that event, the most beautiful dress she had ever owned. Annabelle remembered that to her, on that day, her mother was the incarnation of an angel.

Lady Mary had been a good Godmother and had never forgotten them on their birthdays or Christmas. When Annabelle was married, even with the short notice, she came and even gifted the new couple with a two day honeymoon in a very pleasant manor of a neighboring county that had been converted into a hotel. Today of all days, it would have been inconceivable that she not be present. Annabelle had observed her during the ceremony and she was very much affected. She would not crumble, it was important to maintain appearances, but, there was obvious pain reflected upon her face.

She glided gracefully towards them now, Sir Oliver and Lady Penelope in tow.

"Godmother, how nice to see you. Sir Oliver, Lady Penelope, thank you for coming," Annabelle proclaimed. The youngsters, 15 and 17 respectively, just bowed graciously. Out of the corner of Annabelle's eye, she could see her brother lock his eyes on Lady Penelope. It had been at least three years since he had last seen her and she had blossomed into a lovely young lady. Before it became too obvious to the others, Annabelle spoke further and lifted Mamie up so that the little girl could greet their visitors properly. After pleasantries had been exchanged, she addressed her Godmother once again.

"Will you join us for a small luncheon in the pub?"

"Of course, dear. Lead the way."

* * *

At the luncheon, Annabelle wanted to make sure her Godmother was comfortable, but she also wanted to ensure that she would be available to answer any questions she might have.

"Godmother, can I get you something else?

"No, I'm fine dear, but, I think that you are here for other reasons, not all having to do with my comfort."

Annabelle blushed. Her Godmother was nothing if direct. "I dare not disturb you now, but yes, I have many questions. My mother left us a letter and she said if we had any doubts, we should ask you. You would know everything."

"Well, I don't know if I know everything, but, I am able to answer most of your questions. If you and William would like to come to tea this afternoon, I would be happy to help."

"Thank You. We would love to."

* * *

"Your mother died of natural causes. She did not bring this upon herself."

"What?" asked an astounded William.

Dr. McMillan had come to the luncheon as well and had waited until almost everyone had left so that the Bates siblings could have some privacy to listen to his news.

"Yes," he countered. "Your mother was not well. I had told her almost a year ago that her heart was weak and getting weaker. There is every indication that she had a heart attack."

Annabelle, holding on to her husband for support, couldn't believe it. "What do you mean she had a weak heart? She knew about it?"

"Yes, she did. I prescribed some medication to help her maintain her cardiac rhythm. I told her to take it easy. I believe she chose to not purchase the pills. If she had, she would still be here."

"She never said anything to us. I don't know if father knew. If he did, he never mentioned it."

"I do believe that she chose to not tell anyone. Your father did not know either. She didn't want anybody to worry about her. When your father's illness progressed, I warned her to get help, but she just laughed at me and said that it was her desire to attend to him in whatever way he needed until it was his time to go. Medically, I would have to say that attending to him is probably what proved to be too much. There was not much more her heart could handle."

Annabelle and William looked at each other, trying to comprehend this new bit of news. They had expected to hear that she had ingested something, because they would never believe that a healthy woman could unexpectedly die. They still couldn't believe it.

"Thank You Doctor. We appreciate your getting back to us," William spoke as he reached out to shake the doctor's hand.

They all shook hands and he moved towards the door to depart, but as he moved over the threshold of the exit, he turned back, seemingly formulating a deep thought.

"I will tell you though, in all my years practicing medicine, I have never seen a case such as that as your parents. I knew that they were very devoted to one another, but, I never knew a couple who would be so in tune with each other that they would even die together. I am humbled to have known this great example of love and loyalty. I am honored to have been their physician."

With that, he finally turned and left.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading and let me know what you think.**


	6. Getting Answers

**I love the relationship between Lady Mary and Anna and as the years progress, I hope that J. Fellowes does not write anything to destroy that. I'd like to think that they continued their friendship beyond the current servant-master confines.**

**I would like to dedicate this chapter to you _yousillybeggar_ for her kind words.**

* * *

Annabelle and William had been ushered into a sitting room at the great house. They had been there many times through the years, but had not been there in a while. It was hard for Annabelle to come when Mamie was still so young and unpredictable, and William had been away for the war and his studies. It was still as grand as it had always been and not much had changed.

As they had walked to that room escorted by one of the footmen, Annabelle had noted that William craned his neck in all directions. She knew what this was about and approached the subject while they were alone and waiting for Lady Mary to make her appearance. A tea service was brought in by the same footman.

"Really William, you've chosen the wrong time to get sweet on Penelope."

He blushed profusely. "I don't know what you mean."

"Don't be coy with me. I know you better than you think and I can see what you are doing. You are trying your hardest to find her here in the house and I saw how you were affected when we were at the church."

Still blushing, he lowered his eyes ashamed at being caught. "Am I that obvious?"

"Yes darling, it was obvious to me. I don't know about the others."

"It's just….. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. She is so pretty and so sweet. I hardly can believe she is the same little girl that I used to play with."

"Yes, she is pretty and she is also sister to the Earl. I don't know what you would hope to accomplish. If mother was still here, she'd tell you to know your place."

He was about to say something, when the door opened, announcing Lady Mary and Lady Penelope.

They stood immediately. Annabelle observed Lady Penelope and for a minute she was surprised to see her blush when William looked at her. Lady Mary seemed not to notice.

"I understand you will spend some time with my mother," the young lady spoke. "It is always a pleasure to see you here in the house. It has been too long since your last visit." She reached for Annabelle's hand and shook it gently. She then offered her hand to William and he took it, keeping their hands together for a little longer than ought to have been right. Lady Penelope had to look down, clearly affected and shy. "I just wanted to greet you. I'll be on my way now." She smiled sweetly, and left them both alone with their Godmother.

Lady Penelope's kindness astounded her. She dared to think that maybe William was on the right track, but alas, that was a thought for another day.

"You've gone through your mothers things and found documents you don't understand, have you?" Lady Mary interrupted her thoughts.

"Well yes, and we have many questions," she answered for both herself and William.

"So, my dears, what do you want to know?"

"Is it true our father was married before he married our mother? …. And, mother used to tell me that she met father the day the Titanic sunk and that she loved him from that moment on. If that is so, was she his mistress? That would have been seven years of long waiting if she wasn't. Then, they married so quickly after the death of Vera Bates. That seems very rash, was there a reason behind it? If he was married to that woman, did he have children with her? Do we have other siblings? Then, he went to jail twice. Once for thievery and the second time for the alleged murder of Vera Bates. Then there is the issue of his dishonorable discharge. Is any of it true? There is just so much we want to know…"

Annabelle stopped to breathe, and Lady Mary took the opportunity to interject.

"My, that is a lot of questions…. It might just be easier if I tell you what I know and if after I tell you the story, you still have any questions, you can ask me then."

William and Annabelle agreed and Lady Mary started.

"You know I knew your mother since we were both young. I learned to appreciate her and she me; much of what I know about your father from before he came to work here was told to me by her. I do not know it firsthand, but I will tell you what I was told."

She stopped to pour herself a cup of tea. She then took a sip. She was so regal in how she did it, that it was obvious how refined she was. Annabelle had seen it countless times when she was growing up and it never failed to impress her. She always tried to drink her tea like her Godmother did.

"Your father fought with my father in the second Boer War. From that time, all I know is that your father was assigned to mine and he functioned as his batman. John Bates took a bullet for my father and it left his right leg damaged. Before the start of the war, he married Vera, but his time as a soldier kept him far away and by the time he returned from his many postings, their relationship had soured. I do not know the details of their marriage, but I understand that it was not good and that there were no children."

Lady Mary wondered if she should reveal that he had been a drunkard and decided against it. With everything that they were to learn today, it was better if she spared them that truth.

"For reasons that I do not understand, Vera worked at the barracks and decided to steal some regimental silver when an opportunity presented itself. There were witnesses who saw her, but your father took the blame and confessed to the crime. Nobody believed it was him, but he would not back down and as such, he was dishonorably discharged and spent two years in the East London Penitentiary for this crime. During this time, Vera disappeared. Your father knew not where she was. A short time after he was released, my father placed an ad in the newspaper for a Valet and your father, having served him admirably in the war, applied and was accepted for that position. I am not sure how or when my father found out about prison, but I knew that at one point he did know. I was very impressed with my father for keeping him on after that. It did not matter that he was innocent; he had been in jail and that in itself was rather scandalous at the time. "

Lady Mary took another sip of her tea and reached for a cucumber sandwich.

"Where was I? Right - Bates arrival to this house. Thus starts the story of your mother and father and how they came to be. He came to Downton, and as you say Annabelle, it must have been the year the Titanic sunk. I should remember because my fiancé drowned in that event, but, to be honest, I no longer remember years."

Annabelle was startled at that revelation. She had a fiancé that drowned? No matter how many times she asked her mother to tell her about her Godmother, she never did reveal anything. Now that she knew of her mother's secrets, she understood that her Godmother probably had her secrets too. These women were very loyal to each other and never spoke out what they knew of the other. All Annabelle knew about Lady Mary was that both her husbands had died and while she loved her second husband, her mother always said that her first husband, the Earl's father, had been the love of her life.

"Your mother did not reveal to me until several years later that she had come to love your father. She confirmed that she loved him the moment she saw him. I was surprised because I did not know of it while it was happening. Your mother was a very private person and she would not have told the person I was back then. By the time I knew, four years since his arrival had passed. She explained that in those four years, they had started out as friends, but they progressed into a deeper friendship rather quickly. Your mother was very sure that he loved her and didn't understand why he was holding back from her. She thought she would move things along and rather forwardly, she confessed to him that she loved him. It was then that she discovered that he didn't do anything to develop a relationship with her because he was married. Your mother was dejected to find out, but she held firm on their friendship. Things did not make sense to her but they did later when she discovered that he had been in jail. She hadn't known that yet. She found out about his past and that his jail sentence was part of the reason his marriage had fallen apart. He thought she would run away from him, but she did not. At some point after that, he did confess that he loved her too. During those first four years of your father's time at Downton, he still had no idea where Vera was. They had a relationship, but almost nobody in the house knew. To answer your question, I would never call your mother his mistress. They were never physically inappropriate. I know, because your mother told me and I believe her. Your father did not want to compromise Anna as he was still married. They did, however, exchange their hearts. "

Lady Mary stopped again and Annabelle wished that she didn't pause that often. She needed to find out more about her parents. She still had so many questions. Her Godmother took another sip of her tea.

"At some point during the Great War, your father finally had contact with Vera. He applied for a divorce and because he felt sure that he would obtain it, he asked your mother to marry him. That was when I found out about them. Your mother was over the moon. The only problem was that Vera did not want to give him the divorce. You see, your father had inherited some money when your grandmother died and she refused to set him free. Unfortunately for John Bates and your mother, Vera was rather ruthless and she coerced your father into leaving Downton by blackmailing him."

"Whatever for?" asked William. "Did he have any other secrets to keep?"

Lady Mary looked up with a conflicted but dignified attitude.

"No, but I did. I did something rather foolish when I was quite young and put myself in a difficult situation and your mother came to my rescue. Somehow Vera discovered it. She blackmailed your father's honor. She knew your father already loved Anna and she knew that he was extremely loyal to my father. She forced him to leave by threatening to go to the newspapers and tell them the story. She threatened both me and your mother. Your mother had nothing to do with the story, not the way Vera implied, but he knew no better. Because of his love for her and his loyalty to the Earl, he did not allow Vera to do what she intended and he left with her. He was aware he would break your mother's heart, but also believed that it would be best that she start a new life and so he decided not tell her his true reasons for leaving. I had never seen your mother so heartbroken. Her jovial spirit was crushed."

She paused again and looked out of the window. It was still bright outside.

"Up until this moment, I never had anything to do with your father. Neither your mother nor I knew the reasons for his leaving. Neither did my papa. For some time, he was reviled within the household, as it was thought that he had put on a façade and left when it had been convenient for him. Papa was very upset. He was despised by everyone, except your mother. Even with what he had done to her, she would not allow anyone to speak ill of him in her presence. I was surprised at her devotion. She told me that he was her one true love and that she did not believe he had left to start up with his wife again. She knew him better than that and he had gone because of some other reason. She thought at the time, he was protecting her honor. That was not far from the truth. Even in his absence, she was still very much in love with him. She even had another suitor at the time, she had prospects, but, nobody was as good as your father in her eyes. I didn't understand it at the time, but I learned a few things about love because of her."

The Butler, Mr. Barrow, came into the room then and refreshed the pot of tea. He brought additional biscuits and mini sandwiches. They had not seen him since their arrival, but they knew of him. Through the years, they had encountered him at the house and on the streets of the town. Their parents had been civil with him, but they were aware that there was animosity between them. When Annabelle asked once, her mother had only said that things with him at the great house had never been great and that at one time, he had been very malicious towards their father. She was never allowed to ask another question.

"Barrow, you remember my godchildren, Annabelle and William Bates?"

"Yes, M'Lady…. But if I may say, it would be impossible to not know who they were. The young lady looks exactly like her father and the young man looks exactly like his mother."

Both Annabelle and William smiled. They felt proud to look like their parents, and more so now that they were no longer here.

Mr. Barrow continued. "May I say a few words, M'Lady?" Their Godmother nodded in agreement.

"I am sorry to hear of your parent's demise. We did not see eye to eye on many things, especially your father, but I must confirm that he was a good man. Your mother was a great woman. I admired her, but never told her. Please accept my condolences for your loss."

"Thank you Mr. Barrow" was the only thing that William said as Annabelle nodded in acceptance of his words. She didn't know what to think, as her mother had never really elaborated on what it was that had transpired between them.

He left promptly after that.

"Where was I?" asked Lady Mary.

"You were saying that when father left, mother refused to speak ill of him. You learned some things about love yourself…," hinted Annabelle to help Lady Mary continue with her story.

"Right, your mother never forgot him. I am not sure how long he was away. It was more than a year, but less than two. I don't remember how it came about – I think your father came back to Downton to spy on your mother and she discovered him. They spoke again, several times and she forgave him. He had left his wife and was living back in the county, desperately trying to finish off the divorce that he had started earlier. He had managed to come to an agreement with the woman where he would pay her a sum of money to let it proceed. He didn't have to do that as he had discovered some infidelities on her part and that would give him the divorce almost certainly, but, he wanted her to have some money and to quiet her on the information she had against me. Then, father discovered he was back in the county. I never understood how father knew or what he knew, but he had forgiven Bates and asked him to return here and he did. I never saw your mother happier, but I was not at all in agreement. You see, I still didn't know what he had done for me, but, it didn't matter because your mother was beside herself. Upon his return, they were much more open about their relationship. Anna even told me that they announced their engagement to all of the servants. The divorce seemed to be just around the corner. Then it happened."

Lady Mary quieted down and sipped her tea again. This time, she wasn't as quick to continue talking. She became introspective and said nothing for several minutes. It was an awkward silence, broken by William.

"What was it that happened, Godmother?"

"A very unfortunate series of events." She sighed audibly, but continued. "Everybody was convinced that things were looking up for your parents, but, Vera came back. She had not known that your father had returned to the house and was now engaged to Anna. When she discovered it, she became angry. She threatened me again, but this time, your father had no more money and could no longer pay for her silence. Your mother told me and I finally understood that his sacrifice had been to save me. Your mother had suffered because of something I had done. I appreciated your father so much more then. I dealt with the issue and bought her silence the only way I could back then. She had threatened to expose the story to the newspapers, and in conjunction with another Fiancé of mine, we purchased the rights to the story, making Vera think that she had had her way. When Vera discovered this, she was more upset than ever. At the same time, the divorce decree finally came through, but she managed to ruin that. Your father was very upset. He was known to have a quick temper and he traveled to London to have it out with her. His timing was very unfortunate. Everybody knew he went to London to see her. The next day, she was found dead."

Both Annabelle and William gasped. They had read the newspaper articles that her mother had amassed. There weren't that many from the beginning, but, there were some from when he was freed. There was a lot of information missing. They were also very curious about what type of mischief their Godmother had gotten herself into that their parents would have had to pay the price.

"Our father was arrested for it?" asked a nervous Annabelle.

"Not immediately, no. There was a sense of freedom all around when we all found out she was dead. Your father was penniless, but free to marry. They talked about this and decided to wait an appropriate time when his supposed "mourning" was over. Not that he wanted to mourn her, she didn't deserve it, but they wanted to do things right and they didn't want her death hanging over them. I am not sure how long they decided to wait, but, as the weeks progressed, your father was questioned several times by the police. She was poisoned and he became the only suspect. He became very nervous about this as there was much circumstantial evidence pointing in his direction. My papa and Anna were absolutely sure that he was innocent. Those of us that did not know him as well, believed it because they were so adamant in their belief that we were convinced too. He was arrested in time."

"So, they got married when he was in jail? Or did that happen before? I am a little confused," spoke Annabelle, almost sure that she had seen the date of their marriage prior to his arrest.

"Yes, I am sorry. They married before. It was very close to when he was actually arrested. I remember your mother asking permission to go get married and come back to work. I was surprised and she told me that she would not go through any hardship without a proper place in his life. She was very brave – A braver heart I never knew. At first he didn't want to, he knew what was coming and he did not want to drag her down with him. He sensed that this wouldn't turn out right, that she could suffer being branded a murderers wife, but she did not relent. She proved to him that her love was unconditional and true, even in the worst of times. When they went to the registrar, I was the only one that knew." She paused and took in a full breath before continuing. "Children, I never saw your mother happier than when she came back from that office. I caught a glimpse of him too in the hallway that day and his smile was the biggest I had ever seen. Soon enough, though, both their smiles disappeared when he was taken to jail."

"Poor mum. How did she handle it?" voiced Annabelle.

"She was nervous, anxious, and distraught. His trial was a joke. There was a lot of circumstantial evidence. Every new witness that was summoned made him appear worse. There were times that I doubted, but she was steadfast. Also Papa- he never once faltered in his belief that your father was innocent. They had no money for a defense, your father had lost it all to protect me, so, the house stood by his side, provided any help we could, but, it was not enough and at the end of the trial, he was sentenced to death. I was there to support your mother. I had never heard anyone scream so loud when his sentence was read. She almost fainted. She needed support, they both did, but, it was a very emotional moment for both of them. I cried when your father was torn away from the courtroom. He had no words left in him; the only thing that came out of his mouth was your mother's name. They never stopped looking at each other until he was dragged away."

"How horrible for them," said the young man, suppressing his emotions. His sister could not suppress hers and tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"It was horrible to sit through, so, I cannot imagine what it must have been for her to live through as the affected party."

"…But he was sentenced to death. We didn't understand how his sentence was commuted. He served almost two years of jail before he was released. What happened?" William continued with his questions.

"The solicitor went to London immediately and asked for an audience with the home secretary. There was too much circumstantial evidence and not enough definite proof to condemn him to death, so, they were able get a reprieve. Your mother, may she rest in peace, vowed to find the evidence that would set him free. That is where we get our happy ending. She worked tirelessly, wrote to everyone Vera knew and found the evidence needed to reverse the conviction."

"So, who did it if it wasn't Father?" asked a curious Annabelle.

"That is the amazing part. It was Vera herself. Your mother discovered a witness who saw Vera make the own food she ingested. We cannot be certain, but it is believed that Vera did this as an ultimate act of revenge on your parents."

"Oh. What a dreadful thing. Vera must have been quite a character. I wonder why he married her in the first place?" questioned Annabelle.

"You and me both, darling," answered Lady Mary quite sarcastically at the same time as she rolled her eyes. "I once asked your mother that. Your mother was a good soul, she would not speak ill of anyone unless she had to and she reasoned that your father was a different man when he was younger. According to your grandmother, he was reckless, a little lost. The war changed him and made him worse. Your mother implied that he may not have been guiltless when it came to her. That he probably did not treat her right, that her vengeance was because she felt wronged. She took it to an extreme, but, she probably was upset that with the bad life that they had shared together, that he wanted to be happy, and with a woman much younger than she was. Prison that first time and coming to work in Downton was what changed him and made him a better man. Your mother was the one to reap the benefits, but, it came at a high price."

"What a story. I would have never believed that could have happened to mum and dad," shared a shocked William.

"Well, it did happen, but things got better. Your father came back to Downton, we gave them a cottage and they worked together at the house until Annabelle came along. She was thrilled to have you, thrilled when all of you came along, but she missed your father terribly. She left service to care for you and your father remained. Papa would take him often to London on trips, or we would holiday as a family and she would stay behind. I wasn't aware at the time but since he came back from prison, they were saving almost all of their salaries because they wanted to buy a little hotel. They also owned the house your grandmother lived in when she was alive and when the opportunity came along, they jumped at the chance to own the Grantham Arms. She did not want to leave Downton, and I have to say, I did not want her to leave either. They purchased it with their savings and the sale of the London house and from then on, they were never once separated. It did not surprise me that they died together. In fact, for her sake, I am very pleased."

"I understand it all a little more now," Annabelle mused. "I only wish I could have known while they were alive. There is nothing to be ashamed of; their life together is quite admirable. They should have shared their past with us."

"Yes, it is, but it was their past, and they chose to forget what happened and focus on their future. The Grantham Arms and you - that was their future. They wanted to focus on happiness."

Annabelle looked at her Godmother inquisitively. Could she have known about her mother's condition? She would ask that as well.

"Did you know she was sick?" She reflected for a moment before adding, "I honestly thought that she had ingested something to purposely bring her death about…." William shook his head in agreement. "….. but Dr. McMillan just told us she had a heart attack, confirming that she died of natural causes. He said mum knew she was sick all along."

Annabelle's eyes implored her for an answer.

Lady Mary looked uncomfortable for the first time during their session. She did know, meagerly, that Anna was afflicted with something and she had not been at ease holding that information. She hoped the children were not taken aback by her knowledge of this. Internally, she was also relieved to hear that Anna had suffered a heart attack. She, herself was not sure what to think of her friend's actions and would have been horrified if she had, in fact, ingested something. If this had been proven true, knowing she could have said something to stop her would have haunted her. Yes, it was a blessed, but sad, relief.

"Yes, I knew she was sick. She wouldn't tell me what was wrong with her. We saw each other last about two weeks ago. We went on one of our walks and she asked me to take care of you two, to make sure I never forgot my role of Godmother. I was shocked when she told me that she wouldn't be around much longer. Your mother is just a few years older than I; still young by all accounts. She knew your father was deteriorating and she did not feel well either, but she would not tell anyone; she didn't want any help. She said that she had lived a happy life and that a life without John Bates was one that she did not want to be a part of. She loved you very much, all three of her children, but you were no longer hers, and you were your own people now. You didn't need her to get ahead. She was very adamant when she told me that she couldn't imagine her life without him, not after everything that they had gone through to be together. I couldn't believe it, but she said her good-byes to me."

Lady Mary couldn't help the emotion that overcame her at the moment. Her voice cracked a little when she continued.

"I loved your mother, very much. She was the only real friend I have ever had. We were not supposed to be friends, she was my servant. That is not the way things work, or worked, in our way of life, but, she was more of a friend to me than any of the supposed friends I had growing up. Even today, I have no real friends like your mother. She was a support for me when both of my husbands died. Nobody else knew what to say or how to say it for me to feel better. After everything I saw her go through, I could not have been happier with the way her life turned out. For all of your father's hapless past, he was a good man, an excellent husband, and I hope you agree with me, a good father. I have known people in love, I know several good examples of devotion, but, none will ever stand out to me like the love between your parents. No other couple had to overcome more obstacles in their life to be together."

Lady Mary leaned forward and took one of each of their hands in her own.

They were not expecting this level of intimacy with her. Why should they if they had never known her to be affectionate with them? Not ever. They had seen her hold their mother's hand, occasionally, but she was not outwardly physical. Not even when she was with her children. She was not mean, always had a warm look about her, but she didn't cross the line. They attributed it to her being from the upper class and that was just how it was. One time, when she was much younger, Annabelle had dared call her Godmother "Uppity Lady Mary", to which she received a prompt smack accompanied by a stern look and a life lesson in not judging people. This action, today and now, was very well received and Annabelle felt herself clasping that hand tightly.

Their Godmother spoke warmly and firmly to them.

"You two will want for nothing as long as I am alive, because I promised her and because as her children, I love you too. You are fine adults, both raised well. Anna and Bates were very proud of what you have accomplished."

She looked at the eldest Bates child and softly spoke, "Anna couldn't stop talking about what an excellent mother you are to Mamie and what a wonderful wife you have become. She was so pleased that you and Marcus took over the Grantham Arms and that it has been managed wonderfully. She often told me that she saw the same fierceness and courage in you that she had and those traits would get you through any hardship you ever face. She was very excited that you were with child again. She loved the thought of you filling your house with more babies and she adored Marcus. She said this child would be a boy and hoped that you would call him John to honor the man that had turned his life around and loved you so very much."

Annabelle was speechless for a moment, trying to digest what she had just heard. She'd only known for about two weeks that she was pregnant herself and had only told her brother because of his arrival for the funeral. In those two weeks, she had only told her husband. That meant only three people knew. They were waiting a few more weeks to make the news official. How did her mother know?

"Yes, I am pregnant again, but, I never told my mother. I am only two months along. I have only known for about two weeks." Tears manifested themselves on her face.

"Well darling, your mother knew you well enough to guess. I am very happy for you." She smiled in a motherly and loving way, and turned now towards William. She still held on to their hands.

"Anna was so proud that you were such a scholar. She would have loved you if you decided to become a farmer, or go into service, you know… but, her heart was bursting with pride when you were accepted into Cambridge. That is not a feat achieved by the average Downton boy. And I agree with her."

She rolled her head, but lowered her voice, admitting surprisingly, something only ever assumed, but never divulged by the aristocracy.

"My George is smart, he is, but we had to use our connections to secure his space there. You made it there on your own."

She raised her voice again, the more secret part of her conversation now over.

"Your father was a well read and intelligent man, one who could not apply that knowledge towards an education. Anna was so impressed that you managed to be an improved version of him; that you were going to reach your full potential. She imagined you as a fine orator, a statesman and some day standing for parliament. She had great expectations of you, but only because she saw that you were heading in that direction. She was very relieved that even though your service was not long, that you made it back from the war too. Even in that, you followed in your father's footsteps. Lastly, she lamented that she would leave before she saw you settled with a family of your own, but, she knew that you had the patience and sense to find the right girl and that one day, you would be very happy."

William smiled in acknowledgement. He thought he had found the right girl and hoped that his Godmother would someday approve of him courting her. He still had a long way to go to make a future for him and he knew that he would have to prove his worth, but he was willing to do whatever it took to win Penelope and Lady Mary over. He squeezed his Godmother's hand in response.

"I was very happy myself to have made my parents proud. They showed me the value of honest, hard work. They were my example and I will honor their memory with that continued effort. I will make something of myself and take advantage of this opportunity that they never had. The name Bates will be known in this land."

"I believe you dear." Lady Mary echoed her words with her smile of acknowledgement. Her eyes reflected pride upon hearing his words. Anna was right to be proud of her boy, he was an admirable young man and she could see that greatness would come from him. He wasn't her son, but, as his Godmother, she felt she could partake in the feeling too.

She released both their hands now and sat up straighter than she was before.

"My dears, you have learned much today. I am pleased to see that you have taken this information positively. Take this new knowledge, the story of their life and honor them in everything you do. Don't forget their struggles or their sacrifices. When you are having any problems, look at their example and this will help you move forward."

Tears continued to manifest themselves upon Annabelle and she could swear she saw William's eyes well up as well.

"Thank you so much Godmother," Annabelle managed to squeak out, with a faded voice, overcome by so much emotion."Thank you so much for everything."

They ended their visit after some additional pleasantries and left with their heads bursting with knowledge. There was much that they needed to reflect on.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think.**


	7. Reflections

**I realize there is very little Anna and Bates in these last chapters, but, thanks for sticking with me. **

* * *

Annabelle was heartbroken to discover her parent's troubled past. The heartache was not because she was embarrassed, or appalled, rather, it was finally understanding so much about them, their relationship with each other and just how resilient they were. If she were honest, she always knew there was something about them that was unspoken, something binding the together and making them inseparable. She had after all, inherited her mother's wisdom and common sense. And now as a mother, her intuition had honed itself without error. She only wished she could have known sooner, or had more time to ask her mother about her hardships, to praise her father for being such a moral and driving force in their lives.

When she was growing up, nothing was ever said about his time in jail, or the difficulties they had in coming together. She always saw them happy and she never saw them crumble or falter whenever they had challenges. She learned many a valuable lesson from them that she tried to apply in her own marriage. She was aware of the time they both spent in service, and even remembered her father coming home every night, very late. Sometimes he would disappear for days and her mother would say he was on a trip with his Lordship. Only she remembered that, as William was born when they had already moved to the Inn.

So now, she and William were together once again, in their childhood home, sorting through their parent's belongings to determine what should be kept or donated and what would be divided among them. Most of the furniture would stay, as it had been accorded between them that Annabelle and her family would now move out of the Housekeeper's accommodations in the Inn to the Caretaker house and make it her own. William would give up his bedroom to accommodate his sister's growing family and whenever he was back at Downton, he would live at the Inn as his mother had suggested. He didn't need the Housekeeper Suite, he was happy enough to take one of the smaller rooms. He didn't own that many things and it was less likely that he would ever be back at Downton permanently. He had many aspirations and the small town life didn't fit in with them. Still, a little corner of the Inn would make him feel like he had a place and belonged somewhere. His sister could also renovate the Housekeeper Suite and add it to the available rooms at the Inn. With its size, she could offer it at a Premium. It had been years since an actual Housekeeper lived at the property, most of the help they hired on now lived in their own homes, and so, this would be a benefit to them all.

"William?"

"Yes, my darling and slightly bossy older sister….." He turned to look at her.

She smirked at his comment. "This is yours. Mum wanted you to have it." She held up her mother's simple golden wedding band, and then moved to hand it to him. She held it out in the palm of her hand, expecting him to take it. Instead, he took his hand and placed it beneath hers, closing both of them and forcing her to ball her hand into a fist, with the ring still in it.

"Please hold it for me. Keep it with all the other valuables. It would be much safer in your hands than mine and I won't need it for a couple of years." There was a very enthusiastic emphasis to his last words as he pulled his hand away from hers.

Annabelle's grin widened at the thought of her little brother needing the ring in the future, but she lifted her eyebrow with concern.

"Just what is it that you are planning?"

"Nothing at the moment. You need not worry yourself." His eyes glimmered as he spoke and it manifested quite the different outcome in her that he had attempted with his words. He had always been a terrible liar as a child and it was no different as an adult.

"William Bates. Do not lie to me. I am the matriarch now, and you don't fool me one bit. Are you mad? Lady Penelope is above us. You can't possibly think that you would be allowed to court her. Godmother loves us, but, I'm sure she'll want somebody with money and a title for Penny. You don't have any of that…"

She took his hand back, hoping that her clear, but warm words were not being taken harshly. He thankfully looked completely unphased.

"No, I don't have any of that, but I don't need a title. Penny's father, Sybbie's father and Edith and Michael's father are not from the gentry, so, the Crawley's have made exceptions in the past….."

Even with this true statement, Annabelle did not look convinced.

"I will make something of myself dear sister. Don't you worry. Thanks to the late Earl's kindness, I am studying at a very prestigious university. I will make you and Godmother proud of me, so much so, that she could never object to my affections for her daughter."

She smiled at his assertions.

"Alright, but you are getting a little ahead of yourself. You've not won her over yet, so, take it easy."

If she were honest, she knew that winning Penelope's affections would not be difficult to achieve. She had seen it in the young lady's eyes when they'd visited yesterday. With the years that they had known each other and played as children, both Penelope and William had built a solid foundation of friendship and her brother William, quite bookish and distracted, was also very handsome and could be very charming when he was in the company of those who he loved. Penelope was bound to fall in love with him, just as he was falling for her. She was not opposed to the match; she actually thought that they would be good together. She just wanted William to temper his expectations, because even if they had grown up together with the grandchildren of the late Earl and had forged friendships, they were of a different social class. Even with the changes they saw taking place during the War that had just ended, and even if William made something of himself, the Crawleys might hold it against him that he was at Cambridge through their benefaction, that their parents had been servants in their household and lastly, that their dear father, while innocent by all accounts, had spent time in jail twice. Even if Penelope was fancy on him, the driving forces of family influence could drive a wedge between them.

"You doubt I can woo her?" he asked with mock indignation.

"No, I think that when you focus on something, you usually set up a plan and put strategies to use. Your mind is logical like that and I don't doubt that you have a plan to make it happen. I don't doubt that you _will_ make it happen."

"Well, you are right that my mind is logical like that, but, no, I don't have a plan. I don't need a plan, because, even if you doubt my ability to be romantic, I am. I don't intend to pursue her as a plan. I will court her as one who loves her."

Hearing him say that made Annabelle swoon.

"Oh darling, I never took you to be a dreamer or a romantic, but, I will support you in any way possible. Are you sure you can wait all of those years?"

"I will, because I have nothing to offer her and because she is quite young. I need to focus on who I am going to be so that Godmother gives consent and I would very much like it if Penny went to school and fulfilled any aspirations before we settle together."

"Well, that is very sweet of you, and I will keep this ring here, safeguarded, until you are ready to take that step."

* * *

They were almost finished with their tasks, all of their parent's clothing sorted and packaged. All of the valuables and heirlooms discussed and distributed between them. The house had been vacated and prepared for Annabelle's family to take over and only a few pictures remained on the vanity. William had gone to the Inn almost an hour ago, moving some of his permanent items to that which would become his room. As soon as he came back, they would finally leave together.

She glanced at the picture of her parent's 20th anniversary. It seemed only yesterday, yet it was six years ago. She was 17 back then, William a young lad of 13. It was a simpler time, before the war. She hadn't met her husband yet; she was in school, still helping at the Inn as much as she could. She remembered they had gone to eat at a fancy restaurant in York that evening, her father's treat. They had gone in the car her father had recently purchased from the butcher, a used Daimler. It was their second car, the first having been sold to purchase the new one. Although not a new model, it was newer than the one they had and her mum made big fuss because he liked to drive it uncovered and her new hat, purchased to go with her new dress, would continue to fall by the wayside. In the end, she laughed as he sped on, his eyes crinkling with happiness and eagerness.

That evening, when they were back, they were surprised that the Earl, a longtime friend of their father's, hired a troubadour to come to the Inn and sing them a few songs. The picture of them together that was snapped captured the happy moment as they held hands and listened to the Romantic songs. It was a really joyous occasion and she was happy to have experienced it. It was a good thing they had celebrated, because, their 25th happened during the War, when austerity was in order. The new young Earl and Marcus were off fighting in the War and both her parents were beyond worry that William had been called up too. There was no celebrating to be done, at least not in the manner that they had celebrated their 20th. Annabelle put down the picture and picked up the one from their Wedding.

She ran her fingers over the faded photograph. They both looked so happy. Her mum was not wearing a white dress, not like she had been able to at her own wedding, but, that did not detract from her beauty in any way. Annabelle always asked as a child why she did not wear the traditional bridal color, not being able to comprehend that her parents did not have the comfortable life they had now, back then. She'd chosen her Sunday best dress and still looked absolutely glowing. Her father, younger than she had ever seen him, was very handsome and he looked over the moon. Her breath hitched as she saw how tenderly her mum was holding on to her father's hand. How she wished that she would have known everything they had been through to get to that happy moment. She understood just how important this picture was.

She turned the frame around, and felt the back a little uneven. The latch that kept the opening closed, that where the picture was placed, looked a little strained. She nudged it and it sprang open, revealing a folded piece of paper. She extracted it carefully, handling it with care.

"What is it Annabelle?" she heard and was startled. As she admired the photograph, she had failed to listen to her brother enter the residence and walk up the stairs to her. She turned to look at him.

"It seems to be a letter. I just found it hidden behind their wedding picture. I've not read it yet."

"More secrets?" he furrowed his brow, rejecting that anything should break the peace they had finally acquired.

She sighed. "Well, it ought to be different if care was taken to hide it here." She gestured to the frame, now lying useless on the vanity. "Let me read it out loud."

_My dearest,_

_You'll only get this letter if I have been convicted, if the very worst outcome takes place. I may be too emotional to have a level head later and I can't know how much time I might have if things don't go well for us. I can't risk not having enough time to tell you what I want to tell you, thus I shall do so in this letter, now. _

_When I die, I will die in peace. My conscience is clear. I am innocent of the crime that I have been accused of and I thank you for believing in me, for your unwavering faith. That, made this whole ordeal easier to live through, knowing that my beloved stood by me and believed in my innocence. Yet, this is a cruel fate that I should leave you when we had only just started our life together._

_I do not go in the manner I would have wished, or when I would have wished, but, I go content because my miserable life was vindicated when you disclosed that you loved me. I do not have a fortune, or a title, nor can I boast of any exceptional intellect, but I can claim what few others can. I have loved immensely and been graced by the love of a superior woman, an angel even, and my life has been made better because of it. I love you my darling, more than you could possible imagine and I thank you for loving me._

_I thought it unfathomable that I could ever love again, or more certainly, ever be loved. I never expected it. I did not deserve your love when you professed it to me. At the time, I knew I already that I did, most ardently, return those same feelings and I will forever be sorry that I wasted time in telling you. For propriety's sake, I waited. Telling you would not have been the correct thing to do, but I regret every minute that we did not share together, that I did not hold your hand, that I did not embrace you, that I did not kiss you senseless. We wasted years._

_In another life, we might have lived until we were old, raised children, bought our little hotel, died together even, but now it has come to this. We are torn apart. My angel, I love and adore you as I have never loved another and now I plead that you grieve me, but forget me too. Please don't let this be the defining moment in your life. Please don't stop living, don't follow me to an early grave. It would make me very happy to think that you moved on, that you were happy. I should like to think that your heart will mend and that you would find some measure of peace._

Annabelle had started reading with conviction, but as the tone of the letter turned somber and she realized that it was written as her father believed he might be convicted and executed, she broke down and could no longer read. It was too much. William took the letter from her shaking hands and continued where she had left off.

_I ask that you not come to my execution. I want you to remember me at my happiest, not in the final moments. During that painful time, I would rather you were filled with thoughts of our wedding day and night. Think of our first kiss, when I put the ring on your finger, when we held each other and came together as man and wife. That is what I will be thinking of when my time comes. You will invade my thoughts, my darling sweet Anna, and I will remember your beautiful eyes and smile. You will be all I will be thinking of._

_When I am gone, I will still be with you. When the breeze caresses your cheek on a sunny day, it will be me. When the sky is overloaded with stars in the night, find the brightest and it will be me looking down on you. When on a cloudy and rainy day, a ray of sunshine breaks through, it will be me, providing you with warmth and light. Anytime you hear a bird on your windowsill, it will be me singing to you. I will be all around and I will never leave you. My body may be gone, but I will remain, accompanying you throughout your life and when you are ready to leave it, love, I will be waiting for you. We will then be together for all eternity. You will never be alone._

_Eternally your loving husband,_

_John Bates_

William was left clearly emotional after reading the letter too. They had gone through every letter written between them, all loving and sad, but this letter was like none other. The fact that it existed, despite the assurances that she would only get it if he were condemned, meant that their mother had received it and read it. She would have suffered, knowing that he would be taken from her. Even if he had been given a reprieve, ultimately receiving this letter would have been an emotional ordeal. No wonder it was separated away from the others, kept away, to be hopefully never read again. It was beautiful, what he had written, but the circumstances around it meant that it would be too painful to reread.

William looked up at his sister. She was crying, her eyes blotchy and her nose red and runny. She was pregnant and prone to heightened feelings, but, he couldn't blame her. He had been trying his hardest to control his emotions the entire week, despite his father's past assertions that he should never be afraid to cry. He had shed a couple of tears at the funeral, but, he had wanted to be strong for his sister, to support her and had held back. Now, they were crying just the same. It was too hard not to after such an emotional letter.

He gave her a hug and they remained that way for a few minutes. After he felt settled and heard her quiet down, he pulled apart. Her gaze was mired in deep thought.

"What are you thinking, darling?" he asked her shyly.

Annabelle looked at him as if where contemplating whether really to tell him her thoughts or not.

"What is it? Tell me."

"All of this has been real eye opening for me. I feel guilty."

"Whatever for?" He asked a little alarmed.

"I was upset at mum for dying. I knew Dad's time was up. I was prepared for his leaving us. I'd already shared so many conversations with him. You know? I got to say good bye to him over the last few weeks. …..but Mum, when I read that letter and thought that she had done something to herself, I was very upset that she had been selfish to leave me," she corrected herself, "…..leave us. I didn't get to say goodbye like I wanted. I didn't get to have conversations like I did with Dad. Then, when Dr. McMillan confirmed that she had a heart attack, I was so confused. I still couldn't believe that she hadn't done something to herself, but our conversation with Godmother changed things for me. It all just hit me right now and I feel like crying."

"What hit you just now? I don't understand." He could tell she was welling up again and wished that she wouldn't. To see her cry again would only set him off too. He had finally felt composed.

"I don't know how she did it, maybe she knew that she could not live without him and if he died first, the pain of seeing him that way was enough to bring it on. After everything they went through, I can't blame her anymore. After listening to this letter, I can't see that she could have been happy on this earth with him no longer here. I remember when he was unconscious for several days after the Luftwaffe attack, she was beside herself. You were away. Marcus was somewhere in Italy with his battalion, so, none of you could see her. I had never seen anybody so dejected. I think it was the first time I ever saw her crumble. She sat by his bed and wouldn't move and cried the entire time. I was going crazy juggling the Inn, the repairs to the Pub, Mamie was only a couple of months old, but I had to manage because she was of no use. I see that mum dying was the best possible scenario. I have to admit that while it pains me to no longer have her, it would have pained me more to see her slow crumble and her inability to deal with his death. I see now that she could've never handled that. It is a grace, then, that she was bestowed with this exit, this early departure, so that she did not have to put her life, her misery and her pain on display. She and we, were rather lucky."

Tears were now streaming steadily down her face again. William was affected as well. He couldn't not be. He took her hand to provide additional support. She continued.

"Mum did say goodbye to me, to us, only I didn't notice. She took Mamie for a walk and bought her a beautiful doll. She came to me, and asked me if I was happy. I told her I was and she hugged me. I think she needed to know that before she could leave. She then told me that Marcus was a good man and a good father and that we reminded her of when she and father had just taken up the Inn and how they had worked side by side, just like we now do." She gasped a sob. "I should have realized it. I should have known."

"Don't cry Annabelle, she knew you would be fine. After everything we've discovered, I know her to be the strongest woman I have ever known and you take after her. You are just as strong as she ever was. She even knew you were pregnant, telling Lady Mary a full two weeks ago. If there was ever anybody who knew what was going on, it was her. If she truly willed this to happen, if she made the decision to leave with him and her heart attack came because of this, then we should be happy that they could be together to the very end and as you say, was spared so much pain. I think she knew us well enough to know that we would carry on without her."

He looked down, feeling left out.

"At least, she came to you and hugged you. I didn't even get that."

Annabelle's eyes suddenly grew wide and excited.

"She did. She wrote you a letter and mailed it the day before. I posted it myself with several other pieces. I didn't remember until now. Did you get it?"

His face brightened with this admission of Annabelle's.

"I came straight away when you called me. It ought to have arrived by now, but it didn't arrive before I left."

Annabelle took her brother's hand and squeezed.

"Lucky you, mum thought of everything."

* * *

It had been a very long week and everything was finally settled for Annabelle and William. The information they had garnered through the documents and their Godmother's first-hand account had helped put together the pieces of their family's history. Now, they sat together for the last family dinner before William's departure. Peter had taken over the bar so that Marcus could join them. Little Mamie sat on her Uncle's lap, happy to have his undivided attention.

"Willem, Willem, Willem," the little girl chanted as he bounced her on his knee, her little arms flailing in the air. She looked like a rag doll and if it were not for his holding her little waist, she would have flown off. She was clearly enjoying being shaken and being the center of attention.

"William," her mother corrected. "Say it right, Mamie."

William had stopped momentarily. "Willem," the little girl cooed and placed her hands on her hips in defiance, a little annoyed that her mother thought that it was different than what she was actually saying.

William then continued to bounce her and she moved her chubby little arms out to regain her balance. "Leave her, I can be Uncle Willem." He laughed as the little girl squealed with pleasure. She turned around and gave him a sticky kiss on his cheek when he stopped.

Annabelle looked amused that her brother and little girl were getting along so well. He had not had a chance to spend much time with her when he came back from the war, only a few months and she was younger then. He had gone back to school as soon as the new term had started. This was her whole family now and it warmed her heart that they were all here.

Her mum had often said that she was at her happiest when they were all together, all sitting around the dining table, sharing a meal, laughing and relaying the day's events. Annabelle finally understood why. It was her favorite time too.

"You'll be a good father." Annabelle proclaimed as she served the dinner plates with heaping portions of Yorkshire pudding, vegetables and a beef roast that the Inn's cook had set aside for them.

William flushed at his sister's assertions.

"You're blushing. Have you got a girl lined up, Will-em?" Marcus teased him, having not been apprised of William's growing attraction and admiration for Lady Penelope.

"No, not yet. I need to make something of myself before I line up a girl." He turned to his sister and winked at her conspiratorially.

"I won't be expanding the family any time soon. For now, you are in charge of expanding." He nodded at his brother in law, referring to his sister's pregnancy and his role in getting her that way.

He reached down, placed a kiss on the little girl's hair, and then reached out to his sister, kissing her on the cheek.

She welled up with emotion. This was a perfect moment indeed. After the sadness of the last week, the confusion of learning her family's hidden secrets and settling all their affairs, she had needed a bit of happiness. This was perfect and it was a testament to her parents that they were here, gathered together. There was complete calm and serenity, easy smiles and companionship. There was love everywhere. Annabelle wanted for nothing.

It had not been easy for their parents and they had made it through their hardships. Their deaths had not been easy for her or William, but they would also make it through. The Bates family always made it through.

Her husband's voice brought her out of her deep thoughts.

"I propose a toast," said the normally quiet Marcus, surprising them all. He raised his cup.

"To family."

They all took their cups, filled with ale, and raised them up.

"To family."

* * *

**A/N: There will be a small epilogue.**


	8. Epilogue - New Legacy

**Anna thought John was such a good Orator. Too bad she died too early to see her son take on the role…..**

…**..And thank you to Cherry88 for always pre-reading to make sure my ideas are sound!**

* * *

**10 Years Later**

William looked at the crowd. He was surprised that so many people had come to hear him speak, to listen to his acceptance speech. He was thrilled, excited and nervous at the same time. It wasn't his first speech, he had given many before, but it was the most important one he had ever given. From behind the platform stairs, he scanned the crowd looking for those he loved and found them nearly at the front. They were all there and that brought peace to his heart.

Before going out to address the crowd, he needed to do one last thing. He took out the folded sheet from his left breast pocket as carefully as he could. He opened it slowly and reverently, recognizing its fragility. He hoped to preserve it for much longer. This was one of his treasures and it had provided much comfort in the past years. He scanned his mother's writing for the paragraph he was looking for and started to read fragments.

_"…..You have an aptitude for so many things, you are blessed with intellect and have all the perseverance, character and strength to do anything you want in your life. Your father and I see you as a great Orator and a great Leader and no doubt, one day, you will be a great man. Whether you decide to use these skills for farming, service, commerce, or politics, we couldn't be prouder of the man you are becoming and the opportunities you have made for yourself. Your father and I had little options when we were young and we went in to service. It was only through your grandmother's inheritance that we were lucky enough to acquire the Inn and change our fortunes. You, on the other hand, have options. You are wise, survived the war and have the privilege of a great benefactor. Use the opportunity wisely._

_When your father and I are no longer here, we will be with you always. Remember your humble origins, keep your integrity in order, mind your honor and always do everything with pride. No task or job is ever menial, no person ever unimportant. Keep these truths as a compass and they will guide you through your life. Never shy from a challenge and learn from your mistakes. Overall, find joy in everything you do, as this way, it does not become a burden….."_

There were so many things his mother had written him in this last letter she posted. Had he received it prior to her passing, he might think her mad, but, when he arrived home after their funeral, it was there, waiting for him. She never wrote it explicitly, but the letter had been penned with the knowledge that it was her last and there were all manner of recommendations and good-byes. It was now his most cherished possession and it had served as his guide. It had brought him here, to this moment.

"Are, you ready love?"

He turned to see Penelope behind him in a new and beautiful emerald colored dress, her hair coiffed in loose waves around her. She was a vision of loveliness. Two year old Marianne clung against her mother's hip in an adorable pink dress with many ruffles and ribbons. She was wearing a little crown of flowers and looked like a little angel. She seemed oblivious to what was happening and hummed to herself, keeping herself busy. Standing to attention beside them, three year old Frederick wore a miniature mariner outfit and looked the part. He was stood straight, with a stoic face to match. He was a happy child, but seemed rather overwhelmed by the amount of people and what was going on around him. He was not used to such commotion.

"Yes, I am ready." He leaned over to kiss his wife. His excitement was palpable as their lips met each other briefly. He kissed Marianne on her temple and reached down to scoop his son into his arms. The boy immediately felt comforted. Taking his wife's hand, they walked out as a family into the cheering crowd.

* * *

Annabelle looked at her four children to make sure they were still presentable. It was hard to keep them looking tidy and proper, as they were full of energy and excitement. This was their uncle's big day and Annabelle understood. She felt it herself. She was nervous and excited too. She glanced at Mamie, but she should not have worried about her. She was a proper little lady of 13 and she never had a hair out of place, or her shoes untied, or her dress out of order. She was a little princess and she looked up to her Aunt Penelope, who was the epitome of grace and beauty. If anybody in their family was going to look the part, it would always be their eldest. John, at 10, was just like his father and grandfather, quiet and introverted. He was very absent minded and a little awkward, but a very kind soul. Annabelle always seemed to have to look him over, because more often than not, he would button his shirt all wrong or get mud all over his shoes. He never seemed to comb his hair right either. He was a nature lover and wildly attracted to bugs and small critters. Annabelle always had to be on alert that he did not bring anything into the Inn that could scare their guests if it became loose. The twins, Michael and Samantha, at age 6, had much vitality and also liked being outdoors. They were always running, and continually making her worry. They were inseparable, as twins ought, and they were always getting into mischief. She hoped they would outgrow this phase soon, as more than a handful of guests had already been a party to their practical jokes. To make sure nothing happened to them today and that they did not interrupt the events, their father held on to each one of their hands.

Beside Annabelle, Lady Mary stood, looking as regal and elegant as she ever did. The Earl of Grantham, George Crawley, came with his wife, the Countess and their two children. Sir Oliver was with them, escorting his American fiancé. Annabelle was surprised that the Earl would come, as he was a member of the House of Lords and not completely in agreement with her brother's politics. Regardless of their diverging thoughts on certain matters, he was present and championing his brother in law, if not supporting the politics. His achievements merited his presence and in these times, the Crawley family was always together.

Annabelle was proud of her brother and what he had accomplished in the ten years since their parents had died. When he told her he was running for the vacant MP seat in the West Riding Yorkshire County, Ripon constituency, she couldn't believe it. He had already achieved many accomplishments and while she had faith in him and his capacity, she thought he might be heading for disappointment, but he attained what he had set out to do. He won the seat in the same way he succeeded at everything else.

He had finished school with honors and settled in Ripon after graduation. Even while he was still close to Downton and the Inn, he made his home in this larger city, his main goal to make money and to establish himself so that he could be worthy enough to court his beloved in the eyes of the Crawley family. Together, with another school friend who provided capital, they had started a business that was successful. They managed to make money and as he had pledged to his sister, had managed to woo Penelope and convince his Godmother that he was worthy.

Perhaps Lady Mary had seen her share of grief and heartbreak over the years, enough so that when she saw how her daughter doted on her youngest Godchild, she silently sighed and said nothing. She had not realized that they corresponded with each other at all and didn't think to observe them the many times they were together when the Bates' family had been invited to visit Downton. Her daughter was considered quite a beauty and had many aristocratic suitors, but she never took to any of them. She later learned that William had started writing to Lady Penelope shortly after his parent's deaths and the young Lady had answered him back promptly. She had gone away, to a Swiss finishing school and their correspondence continued. He was the reason she never paid any attention to the invitations that came her way. They weren't hiding their relationship and there was nothing illicit or sordid in their dealings with each other. IT just did not come up in family conversations and William was away at Cambridge, then Ripon, while she was on the European mainland. When she had come home, within their first meeting, they had planned to marry and William had agreed to speak to the Earl and Lady Mary.

Annabelle couldn't be prouder when she saw him, all dressed up, ready to ask permission to marry his sweetheart. He was handsome and confident, a fine young man. He had done well and her parents would be so proud. As the matriarch of the Bates' family and representing his deceased parents, Annabelle escorted her brother and together, as a family, they requested Lady Penelope's hand. He was nervous, but very eloquent when he spoke. His impassioned plea was well received. Penelope looked like she would burst. Nobody in the room could deny that the young lovers weren't meant for each other. One look at them was all it took. There was an evident longing and love in their eyes, one that Annabelle could only ever remember seeing between her parents, Anna and John Bates.

Lady Mary was silent and for a moment Annabelle thought that she would protest, regardless of her affection for William, but she didn't. Years later, when Frederick was born, she confided in Annabelle that she was very pleased and hoped that all her children married for love. In her old age, she was very sentimental and partial to sharing information, something she never used to do. She reminisced that she almost married for money once and was thankful that she had reconsidered and had been able to marry two men she had loved. She then shed a tear remembering her dear sister, one who Annabelle never met, who had been courageous and followed her heart and married a chauffeur, Sybbies father, much to her family's detriment. As the daughter of an aristocrat, that was scandalous. She had heard of the brave Lady Sybil from her mother, who spoke about her with much admiration and respect. It made sense to Annabelle now that the Crawley family had not stood in her brother's way. He had been embraced and soon after they were married.

After the nuptials, they stayed in Ripon and he continued to make money, all the while, working actively with the city council and making himself known throughout the county. They had a good life together. They were not rich, but, Penelope Bates wanted for nothing. They had a comfortable life, much like Annabelle had at the Inn. She now had four children, had a wonderful husband and their business had not declined through the years. For both the Bates' children, their lives were much different than those of their parents.

Annabelle was brought out of her thoughts by the wild clapping that took place when her brother and his family took to the small stage that was set up in Ripon's City Center. After a long fought campaign, he won the vacant seat and was now taking over, as the youngest MP ever for that region. She was there, as they all were, to witness his acceptance speech as history was made.

* * *

William stood with confidence in front of the metallic tube placed before him. It was a small stage, with only the microphone on it, but beside him, his family stood proudly. He still held Frederick in his arms, while Penelope held Marianne. He could see his sister beaming with pride, his Godmother, and the other family members besides them, accompanied by several hundred citizens, all come to hear him speak.

He breathed deeply and started.

"_Ladies and Gentlemen, I stand before you today, honored to have been elected your representative to the House of Commons. I am humbled by your vote and the confidence that comes with it. I take the responsibility of representing you with great pride, and endeavor to do it as best I can._

_People often ask me what makes me think that I am the better person for this job, how am I more qualified than all the others, given my young life and relatively short political career. I can't talk to you about the others, I don't know them well enough, and I can only talk about me and who I am and I want tell you."_

He turned to look at his wife, acknowledging her presence.

"_I am William Bates, husband to Penelope and father to Marianne and Frederick. They are the most important thing in the world to me, and they are here, with me, sharing this stage, so that you can see that I am a family man, devoted to them. That is the most important job I have and through my work for you, I seek to make them proud._

_I am the youngest child of John and Anna Bates. My father was half Irish, raised by his mother in London. My own mum was born a farmer's daughter, right here in Yorkshire. They were both of the working class, former servants to one of the finest families in the county, the house of the Earl of Grantham."_

He smiled at his Godmother. There were few who wouldn't know who she was, or the Earl standing next to her. Even if they weren't known, they stood out in the crowd, impossible to look like anything but the aristocrats they were.

He continued with his speech.

"_My mother was a housemaid at Downton Abbey, my father a Valet. Not many of the elected officials in this country can tout such an ordinary background. I can and I am proud of my humble origins. I have not come from money or privilege. I come from an example of hard work and dedication. My parents, after many struggles, and through their own labor and means, managed to buy their own little business. I remember seeing them wake early, work hard, and go to sleep late, every day of their lives, tending to it with love and dedication. There was never a complaint, always a blessing for a full day of work, always an appreciation for having a task to do, somebody to serve. This amazing example of zeal and perseverance was instilled in me from a young age…. Not just in the value of a solid work ethic, but in the matter of duty and patriotism._

_My father fought for King and Country and was injured in the Boer War; damage to his leg plaguing the forty years he lived with it. He was left with a limp and the need of a cane to get around. He neither complained about his disability, nor the war in which it was inflicted. Rather, he bore his pain with stoicism and often remarked that it made him who he was and that it gave him character. Born of his example, I too participated in the recent Great War, doing my part to ensure the glory of our great nation. I served then, as I seek to serve you now."_

He focused on Annabelle for a moment, happy to see his sister. He couldn't remember a moment where she hadn't supported him and he could tell she was welling up with emotion. She was such a copy of their mother, and represented her well. No doubt, if she or their father had been there today, they would have been speechless, their pride and joy, ready to burst at the seams. He focused on the crowd again.

"_That is who I am. I am a father, husband, son, brother and now, your representative." _

His demeanor changed, his tone became melancholy for a moment.

"_Sadly, my parents are no longer here, they left this earth ten years ago, but, every day I live, I live by their example." _

He smiled again, regaining the enthusiasm needed to finalize his thoughts. A flash of them sitting together, in front of the fireplace, sharing tea and smiling came to his mind. They were always like that, happy and together, enjoying simple and quiet times. Suddenly, he felt a gentle breeze caress his cheeks, a warm wind enveloping the stage around him and in that precise moment, he knew they were with him; they were watching over him.

He began again, with assertiveness and confidence present in his tone.

"_To finish, I'll tell you something that my mother always used to say. 'William, actions speak louder than words.' I will endeavor to do the job as honorably as I can and represent you, the people of Yorkshire, with nothing but the benefit of this county and all of its citizens equally. I will not be full of false words, or empty promises. I will work tirelessly, with integrity and honor and I tell you now, my actions will speak for me."_

He finished and the crowd cheered. His great charm, straightforward thinking and enthusiasm made him a great orator and his discourse was received with much excitement. William clasped his wife's hand and raised it briefly above their heads. Then, Annabelle and William locked eyes on each other once more. Their family had come far from their humble and tormented beginnings. This was a new episode in their family's history - jail sentences, hardships, struggles and separations were forgotten. There was a new Bates' family legacy in its place.

The end!

* * *

**A/N: I did my best to research English government, constituencies, the MP role, etc. IT seems the area where Ripon is located has been modified many times over in the last three hundred years. It was all too confusing and I was looking for what it would have been in 1955. So, English readers, please forgive me if I make any gross misstatements. I am zero political as well, and had to read several acceptance speeches, from Obama 2008, to Bush 2000, etc. Not sure I stole anything from them, not enough to have to credit them, but, you should know I did read them…. It is much harder writing political speeches than love letters. I really struggled and I realize that I will never have a career as a speech writer… I will just stick to fan fiction. Also, not sure if families took to the stage in the 1950's, but oh well, that scene wouldn't go away as I sat down to write this.**

**Thank you to everybody who read and reviewed my little story! **


End file.
